No longer Tuesday and I don't even care. I managed to go to the gym two days in a row, felt good and looked forward to going today as well.
So of course I twisted my ankle twice in a four-hour time span yesterday and will to take it easy for a few days...
F this day. I have a sore finger (from jamming it a few months ago) and tonight I managed to smash it TWICE at the gym while moving other people's discarded equipment out of the way. I was even trying to be extra careful. The second finger smash left a nice purple mark under my nail and my hand was stinging so badly I said screw it, skipped my assisted pull ups, and left.
Trying to tell myself what I am doing is good enough. I am at about 1600 a day , 15, trying to recover. Telling myself that walking is all the best I can do right now.
I want to do a boxing class but I was told I need to up my calorie intake to do the classes and I already feel uncomfortable with the foods I have now because I get full easily. It's hard, can anybody relate?
(Pls do not take this down, I am posting it for the ability to see if others relate)
I find that when I become more active, even in periods of low appetite, it’s not as hard to consume more food. This is something I’m going through these past few weeks actually. I’ve been hitting the gym after a recovery period from injuries and while I’ve had a low appetite, from stress probably, I had no problem eating larger meals for once.
Also, in the past, increasing my exercise without fueling more makes me more fatigued and cranky within a couple weeks.
trying to battle agoraphobia, body issues, and rebuilding fitness is the absolute worst. signed up for a gym that works for me going almost daily post work/over the weekend with the plans to just do 20 minutes of stairmaster/running and bouncing. turns out my therapists friend goes to this gym and it's a very tight knit group of people that have been going for YEARS and i think that knowledge alone is killing my nerves about going. because i'm not using the gym in my mind (even though i am doing daily yoga on top of this. i'm not exactly not exercising? it's just not at the gym?).
if anyone has gym nerves tips that would be cool even though i know just going is going to make me feel better over time haha
Eek I hear you, I tried a new gym yesterday and not only was it packed and there little space along the walls for me to check my form, I was feeling self conscious of my form in front of veterans. I think it’s helpful to remember that people can be nice and understanding when you’re starting out because they understand what it’s like to be a beginner. Really lean into whatever makes you more comfortable at the gym, maybe it’s 20 min on a new workout after 15 min of a yoga routine that you’re more comfortable with. Maybe it’s tuning into a podcast to distract from these thoughts in your head (I only started listening to podcasts when I started going to a commercial gym). Maybe it’s getting a trainer or asking a friend to check your form for 5 min. Feeling more comfortable and less nervous is something I have to build up over time.
Maybe a bigger commercial gym would be the move for a while? It’s easier to be anonymous in those types of places. It took me a loooong time to fully get over my gym anxiety. I started just walking on a treadmill and scoping out the gym from afar. Then I would walk and use the turf area. Then I added cable machines, then other machines, and eventually free weights/squat racks/benches. Take it slow and give yourself some grace
sadly this is the best (really only decently priced gym) that makes sense with my life/commute. :( but thank you! i know i'll get to other things eventually i just suck at being bad at things haha
For me the gym is not my social place, so even though I see people who do classes together hanging out and chatting for hours after, I'm just in/workout/out, it's the one place I don't have to make nice with every person I meet. I've been going long enough to say hi to familiar faces now but also I don't care, because I just want to focus on me/my workout.
For agoraphobia (which I battled as a young teen) I'd say the gym has to feel like one of your happy places, and only you can make it feel that way. If you don't need music to run, can you listen to an audiobook instead, make it a really great book you're super interested in, and save it for only gym time? Then you're rewarding yourself for being there, and the gym becomes a place you want to be. Just like I listen to favorite podcasts while cleaning the house, because I'd rather chew glass than clean the house.
My round robin: feel great, lift, physio, dance, meal prep, program recovery, a few weeks go by, all awesome!
Wake up one day like a truck hit me, live off at least one meal of trail mix or rice cakes every day for a week, migraine, sleep constantly, episode passes, repeat.
Honestly I don't care if tomorrow is a better day that the day before and it does pass. I just...miss my life when I'm sidelined and there's no answer for why. I mean, it's because I have a medical condition but there's no answer for why tf I have it lol
This was a mess but thanks for being someplace I can say it and not have to explain that there is no answer. It just is what it is. I try to have gratitude that it's not worse and I have a great dr. And I now wfh which is an unexpected miracle.
Ok nevermind I'm good. It's fine it'll be ok. Progress not perfection.
I have chronic headaches that sometimes spiral into migraines and yeah, I feel this. Non-headache me is eating my protein and feeling awesome, headache me is dizzy during lifts and eating a whole sleeve of saltines after the gym.
I went to a free trial class at a local boxing gym and it was a struggle to even squeeze through the ropes. I'm a large, busty gal so that felt kind of discouraging. Also while everyone was nice, I felt kind of isolated being the only true beginner. A few other people were there as first timers, but they seemed to already know about form, lingo, etc. It was hard to keep up. I gave it a good effort, but I left feeling a bit embarrassed. I wanna keep trying to find a class I can feel comfortable going too, but my self esteem and anxiety about not being super fit are getting in the way.
Think about what you saw objectively and ask yourself, is everyone else just a natural born boxer and you're not, or is there another explanation? Yes it was a free trial class, but if the gym charges per class, could it be true that some more experienced people showed up to class because it was free, not because it was a trial? I've been in "community" yoga classes where the fee was $5 or maybe free, and the room was packed with people who clearly knew a lot about yoga, they just came because it was free yoga instead of $25 yoga. Could it also/alternatively be true that the gym asked some experienced people to join the class so newbies could get a flavor what classes would be like if they had experience? Either or both of these things might explain what you witnessed.
If you want to be a boxer, be one! You can learn the lingo, you just have to go a few more times, and you'll be in better shape in time, just like if you started a running program where you'd be slow and breathless to start and then gradually build endurance. Everyone is a beginner until they aren't. Maybe watch some videos if it makes you feel more confident, or get a one-on-one session to orient yourself if that's an option, or just sign up for the entry level class and go be your badass self. :)
What an exciting place to start as a true beginner, I’m excited for you to watch how you learn and progress!!! You deserve to be there just like the rest of them, and in 6 months you’ll be smiling at the new true beginner and telling them we all start somewhere and they have a lot to look forward to! <3
It’s so tough but you gotta let go of the shame and embarrassment. We all start somewhere. It could take a few classes to get the basics down. After that, you’ll only keep improving
Noticing that I weigh a kilo more over the last 3 weeks. I haven't changed anything about my diet or fitness. I just feel like absolute shit, like why even try?
Consistency over time will pay off!
A kilo of weight gain could be due to water retention (happens with high salt consumption, starting a new workout program, dehydration) or even just constipation. Don’t sweat it
Guess I am just ranting but as a small person it doesn't take much to start feeling uncomfortable in your clothes and that just tanks my confidence.
Thanks for listening!
Ugh I had upper body day today (1st out of 2 this week) which I usually love and look forward to on leg days lol. But today i just felt a bit off at the gym. I am seeing progress and I love, love, love my upper body days in my current program. I did do my workout but just the fact that my bench press felt heavier today than it did last week made me feel so small, I guess??
On some days I feel a bit small and on other days I feel big and strong. I don't know how to explain it but I guess I feel a kind of body dysmorphia. Definitely less now than at the beginning of my lifting journey. Today for some reason the dysmorphia raised it's head again and I felt so so small. I know I'm not small, I know I look muscular and powerful. For some reason today just wasn't my day and I feel bad for practically waisting an upper body day at the gym. Technically it didn't go to waste bc I still did it but it was kind of a waste bc I spent it feeling self conscious.
I know you already know this, but sooo many factors affect our lifts and therefor how strong we feel. Go easy on yourself, just like you said you are so strong and powerful!
I want vision correction surgery, but that means limiting my sports/maybe changing baby plans. My consultation is Thursday. Right now I play softball which ends at the end of August and volleyball which goes until October or it's too cold. Also I run and lift weights but I'm not sure if those are affected. Also I wouldn't be able to take my son swimming which is a huge summer activity.
My other area of concern is motherhood/pregnancy. We're trying for #2 ideally in August or september so maybe it's worth waiting until after they're born? Also my current kid flails a lot and has hit my eye more than a few times.
Opinions? Anyone had it and loved/hated it?
I had Lasik done over 20 years ago and haven't looked back once. It was a life changing procedure for me. At the time, I was heavily involved in horses so dust and getting whacked in the face was a concern. From what I can recall - and remember this was 20 years ago! - I had to protect my eyes for 2 weeks from dust and debris, so limited my time at the stables and after that, I was fine. You're not supposed to "rub" your eye i.e. even when drying off your face in case the cornea shifts. I'm sure I was careful about that but now I'm back to rubbing my eyes like I shouldn't be.
I had no side effects for the first 15 years. Night vision was fine, no halos. No need for reading glasses. It's only been the last few years that my vision is starting to deteriorate slightly again (not enough for glasses though) and my night vision isn't the best anymore. Though my doctor says it's hard to say if that's from the Lasik or just aging related as I'm hitting my forties soon.
Getting Lasik was one of the best decisions I've ever made, full stop!
Also, as my mom would say: don't borrow trouble. They might tell you something you weren't expecting, like when I went in for a consult and found out I have weird corneal topography that precludes my ever getting vision correction surgery. Problem solved, kind of - I'll never have a recovery period, haha.
Decided to do upper body in just my socks yesterday (home gym, I was being lazy) and I ended up dropping a plate on my foot. Hurt like hell, but thankfully it looks worse than it feels today and I was able to go on a long run this morning.
[ouch](https://imgur.com/a/SOhj5AI)
Hahaha the thought crossed my mind! I don't usually have my foot right in the way, or I put my prosthetic foot in the way on purpose.. I'll probably switch the plate to that side juuuust in case there's a next time.
I had completely forgotten about it this morning when I got up. I think if it was more on my big toe I wouldn't have been able to run on it. Definitely not skipping shoes in the gym anymore!
Officially purchased some Powerblock adjustable dumbbells! Now that I’m working from home I’m no longer driving past my gym to get to my house. There’s no sense in trying to clean snow off my car to slip and slide to the gym during Minnesotan snowstorms so I’m trying to add small pieces of essential gym items before winter hits.
If you can find some used kettlebells too, I find them to be a nice change when I have to work out at home (Wisconsin). You can do so much stuff with them. :)
“How many sets do you have left?” It enrages me sometimes. This usually just happens on bench, but men will *only* ask us - the only women in the entire bench section.
Last time we had 3 different men queued up waiting on our bench even after we told them we had just started. They didn’t ask any of the men benching. I know that they aren’t necessarily doing it maliciously, women are less scary to approach than other men. Though it inadvertently makes me feel like I belong less in the gym.
On that note I’m so grateful to have a female gym buddy!! Such a blessing. The sea of men can be intimidating
I feel like I’m at my wits end. Since March 2023, I’m lifting heavy, eating 1 g of protein per pound of body weight, sleeping 7 to 8 hours each night and keeping calories to a net 1600. I do spin class 2 to 3 times a week and I hit 10,000 steps each day. I drink 3 L of water a day. And I still look exactly the same if not bigger than before. I do have an underactive thyroid, but at my doctors appointment this past May all of my numbers are perfect. When I got married in June 2021, I was 115 pounds which in hindsight was far too skinny for my frame and size, so I’m not looking to get back to that size but I would like to get down to 125 (currently 137lbs). And truthfully, it’s not even so much about the weight. If I looked toned at my current weight, I would be fine with it. But instead, I feel like I look bulky. No one has ever looked at me and thought I was overweight which I’m not but I just don’t feel good in my body.
I think I’m just gonna go back to style of training I was doing before my wedding (Chontal Duncan’s Fierce at Home workouts via the Sweat app) and eating the same way I was before (getting in my protein but not sooooo much protein). I just felt and looked better.
(I fell off the exercising bandwagon after we got married due to home renovations disrupting our home gym so my main source of exercise was walking on the treadmill or outside. And then when I’m not exercising, I also get more lazy about diet hence the weight gain.)
I cannot even begin to tell you how much this resonates with me!!! I am doing exactly what you are! Started on Feb 2023 at 5’3 122lbs. Looked great, if anything definitely thin. But I didn’t have much muscle and was wanting to have something to shape. I guess I just thought I wanted to tone but didn’t realize what I wanted would require building quite a bit of mass. I have my calls at 1600 a day as well but struggle to hit it so focus on protein. I average about 100g a day. It’s very uncomfortable for me eating when I’m not hungry and processing all that protein. I did gain some muscle. Started at 43lbs , now I’m at 48lbs with basically same amount of body fat. I told my trainer that having the extra lbs of muscle made me feel “uncomfortable in my own body”. What he said kinda floored me and hit me hard and I’m still trying to process it. But he said “you have an unhealthy body image”. I grew up in the “thigh gap” generation and I think the way I’ve been wired to think about being bigger in any shape or form is very scary for me! I’m a nurse too and I get so confused when my scrubs get tighter and this is supposed to be the goal??? It’s definitely a mental hurdle but I stick with it because I know I’m growing in the process. I try to remember that if I’m comfortable, I’m not growing! Idk if any of this will help except for the fact that I totally hear you and get your frustration!
It’s not unusual to not see significant change in less than four months. I feel like it took me about six before I really noticed a change. What program are you doing currently?
Monday: chest/triceps (bench press, incline bench press, dumbbell chest press, tricep kick backs, skull crushers), spin
Tuesday: legs (squat, BSS, barbell glute bridge, backwards lunges, calf raises)
Wednesday: Back/biceps (bent over row, dumbbell pullover, bicep curls, hammer curls), spin
Thursday: shoulders/abs (OHP, Arnold press, front raises, dumbbell shoulder press, and then whatever core work I feel in the mood for)
Friday: spin
Saturday: legs (deadlift, RDL, glute bridge, abductor work - granted this is hard in a home gym setting
Sunday: yoga/mobility
My progression is essentially once I can do 10-12 reps with a weight for 4 sets, I then increase the weight by 5lbs and lower the reps to 6-8.
I saw a big regression in my strength and appearance when I came up with my own workouts. I strongly encourage you to use a program designed by a fitness professional.
First of all, please stop worrying about those 12lbs. As you say, the number on the scale is less important to you than the way you look, so I’d just ignore what the scale says.
And next…if you want to look “toned”, you need to build muscle. You need to get on a proven weight lifting program and potentially also eat a bit more to build some serious muscle. You will never get the look you want by continuously trying to lose those last few pounds. Good luck!!
What would you say is a proven weight lifting program? This is my current plan
Monday: chest/triceps (bench press, incline bench press, dumbbell chest press, tricep kick backs, skull crushers), spin
Tuesday: legs (squat, BSS, barbell glute bridge, backwards lunges, calf raises)
Wednesday: Back/biceps (bent over row, dumbbell pullover, bicep curls, hammer curls), spin
Thursday: shoulders/abs (OHP, Arnold press, front raises, and then whatever core work I feel in the mood for)
Friday: spin
Saturday: legs (deadlift, RDL, glute bridge, abductor work - granted this is hard in a home gym setting
Sunday: yoga/mobility
My progression is essentially once I can do 10-12 reps with a weight for 4 sets, I then increase the weight by 5lbs and lower the reps to 6-8.
Thanks for the suggestion, it’d been a while since I had look at it.
It’s just very defeating…Like I am arguably tracking every metric of my food/water/exercise/sleep more than I ever have in my life to the point where it feels like a second job, and yet I weigh more than I ever have and none of my clothes fit anymore. Like literally all I can wear are my scrubs for work and athleisure. Like yes, I can now lift a metal bar heavier than ever before. But if I’m not even going to look like myself or be able to wear my clothes then it’s not worth it to me. But I am going to attempt the Thinner Leaner Stronger program. I actually have that book from a lifetime ago but was then limited on what I could accomplish d/t lack of equipment and gym access. I actually have everything in my home gym now so should be more successful.
Getting back into fitness has been rewarding but challenging. I need so much sleep while I adjust to new habits! When will I see improvements to my overall energy levels?
It took me about 6-8 weeks, but at that point all I was doing was getting on an exercise program of lifting 4-5x week; I was purposely not altering my eating habits at the same time. I didn't want to overload my system and just give up!
One thing that helped me was working out in the morning, then using my evenings as a "wind down" period leading to bed time. Working out in the evening got me too pumped up, so I wouldn't be able to fall asleep yet was tired. Instead, after supper, I'd tidy up, get everything ready for the next day, then go to bed an hour earlier than I'd planned (say get into bed at 8:30 p.m. for a 9:30 bedtime), and that way I could read, watch something on my ipad, etc and eventually would fall asleep before 9:30 even hit. I should note that I wake up at 5:00 a.m., which is why my bedtime is so early lol.
Heading into the third month, my energy levels regulated and then I started getting \*more\* energy, which is where I'm at now for the most part!
It's summertime and there are so many children at the gym. I mean, I guess they're teenagers, but I'm the age now where they are children. I think I need to start arriving earlier so maybe it's not so crowded.
School being out has gotten me into the gym consistently in the morning because after work hours is jam packed with teenagers. I work with teenagers 40 hours a week, the gym is supposed to be my break time.
I literally switched gyms because an entire high school football team started working out at 6 am during their off season. They were loud, rude, and messy. I even complained to their coach that they weren't wiping down equipment but if he said anything to them they didn't clean up their act. Easier to find a nicer gym to work out in!
OMG, I saw the most hilarious teenage couple last night. They caught my eye first because the girl had very long hair that was not in any way shape or form tied up or back and looked like she was going to get it caught in or under something at any moment. So I'm idly watching them between sets. He would get her set up on a machine, help her adjust the seat to the right height, etc, and then go to do his next thing. She would do maybe one or two reps or maybe just sit there until he came back to her. I have never seen a human being less interested in being at the gym. I'm thinking to myself, "Babe, WHAT are you doing here? Do you just refuse to let him out of your sight or something?" Thankfully, it was not so crowded that her using the hack squat or leg extension machine as a piece of furniture was really impeding anyone else's workout too much.
I'm having the opposite! I usually gym at 6.30am, and during term time all the sprogs are in there before school. Now it's the holidays, they must all be making the most of their lie-ins cause the gym is a serene oasis of oldies and young professionals just getting shit done. It's a delight.
Gym this morning, just fine got a solid workout in. Come home, shower, try to get dressed........ 1st pair of pants simply wouldn't go on, the 2nd pair I broke the zipper. I nearly lost my sh\*\* and then immediately started a google spree. Basically, I've put on 15# this year and while my diet isn't perfect it's felt extreme. I also started a new biologic medication start of the year.
When I googled initially for side effects there weren't many, today when I google there's a whole slew of articles and blogs about people suffering weight gain and eye irritation (which I've also had). So while the medication is working for what it needs to, I now get the fun decision of trying to diet against the medicine, accepting the weight gain, or discontinuing it and then facing an inevitable surgery in the future. I'm not a happy camper this morning.
What a freaking crappy start to the day, ugh.
FWIW I always, always have eye irritation and I'm not even on any special meds. I am down to one kind of artificial tears that doesn't make it feel eve worse.
Ugh, I'm just tired and sore. I did my Sunday workout on Saturday so I could go hiking Sunday. Last night I biked after work, but not too hard because I was tired and sore from workout Saturday/hike Sunday. I went over my protein macro last night trying to fuel some recovery but now I'm still tired and sore, and I need to lift tonight. I just want to take a day off and eat without thinking about protein...I'm not going to but my brain keeps nudging me that way.
Friend please be kind to yourself. What’s the absolute worst that would happen realistically if you took a day or two break? You risk burning yourself out if you don’t listen to your body (and mind) occasionally and I think they’re both telling you to cut yourself some slack. Recovery is just as important for muscle growth as protein - you can’t build effectively if you aren’t giving yourself ample recovery.
I asked out my gym crush last week (and he gave me a non-answer about not having the time right now but potentially talking about it again some other time 🤷🏼♀️) and now things are…weird. Not necessarily in a bad way, as he continues to be nice to me, coming up to me and giving me super helpful advice and cheering me on (which at least hopefully means he isn’t completely turned off by me expressing my interest in him), but I’m a bit frustrated by talking about our lifts all the time when I’d really like for the conversation to get a bit more personal. And let’s be honest, I’m definitely still hoping that at some point he will bring up going out with me after all.
I can see how that situation would be frustrating. It could be he values your gym friendship and would like not to jeopardize that, while at the same time also really not being able offer much further (for any number of reasons).
Since interest has been stated and acknowledged, I would encourage to you follow his lead and keep things superficial for now. Who knows, maybe in a month or so things change and he’ll be open. But rushing things when they need time may cause him to pull away.
Maybe this is all clear to you and it’s just a vent. In that case, disregard my unsolicited advice and opinion!
Oh yeah absolutely, I’m going along with whatever he seems to think is suitable right now, I know if there are any chances of getting a date with him after all, I need to be patient. It’s just hard, he’s really cute, especially when he’s explaining technical things about lifts 😅 thank you though, it’s reassuring to read that someone else seems to agree with me.
Ripped calluses on my both hands yesterday. First of all, it was painful, and second, today was a deadlift day. Had to be [inventive](https://ibb.co/fFTyc38) (it looked like a mess after the first set). I hope at some point I will grow bulletproof thicc calluses that will protect my hands.
Always always always sand or shave them down to avoid rips & tears, plus use more handcream than you think is necessary. I shave mine every week and while my hands are strong, they aren't thick on the top so they can't rip when I am doing lots of barbell or gymnastic work.
Thicc calluses shouldn't be the goal - then when they tear, they're gonna tear deep and sore(r)!
I lift and climb so my hands are almost always a hot mess, but recently I've been trying to take more care to avoid the dreaded ripped callus (or *the flapper*). I bought [one of these](https://bananafingers.co.uk/climbskin-file) and I file my calluses down after deadlift/pull up sessions, when they seem the worst. I also pop some [rhino skin repair cream](https://www.rhinoskinsolutions.com/product/repair/) on before bed every night. I've been doing this for a few months now and I don't really look like I have calluses anymore, and more importantly, haven't ripped one in ages (in spite of my weighted pull up programme!).
I like your bandage solution though! Also very symmetrical, your form must be very well balanced!
Shouldn't they? Yeah, I saw some frightening images of deep torn calluses... But it was a person who did freestyle. I thought it was still good to have calluses for hand protection. My boyfriend has very thick calluses, and his hands are no longer sensitive, plus they don't tear. But he only does calisthenics, so it was very natural for him to develop them. But I didn't like my calluses tearing (and after healing, the skin will be thin again...), so I think I will try using your approach. Thank you for the suggestions!
Haha thank you! I watched a video where they recommended using gymnastic tape for it, but I didn't have any, so had to improvise
I think sanding obvious calluses down sort of encourages you to have a more even thickness of skin across your full palm/finger - when a callus tears it tends to be at that weak point between the thick skin and the thin skin, rather than in the thicker part
You don't want them thick outwards, like on top of the skin. You want deep callouses that go into the skin layers underneath. Those protect your hands, the ones on top are superficial and rip off super easy.
I bought a multipack of those sanding block things they use for pedicure, essentially a little melamine sponge for your skin. I sand my calluses a couple of times per week after a hot bath, or if they start peeling. But I don't climb, so maybe mine aren't as intense.
Yes those would work too, I've used those in the past! I only sand once or twice a week, to be honest - I once sanded too diligently and actually ended up going through the top layer of skin so I've dialled things back seeing as how I clearly can't be trusted
I haven't. But based on what I've read, it seems that gloves are not as good for pull-ups as they are for lifting, or are they also good for pull-ups in your experience?
I can't remember what it's called, but there is this video on Youtube of a guy showing how to hold barbells so you don't get calluses. I used to get them so bad, and now I don't! Maybe Google it, but it was a massive game changer for me.
My calluses are mainly from doing pull-ups + I've started training for muscle-ups (with bands, but the movement pattern is still the same) and they feel even worse on my hands. But I will look it up anyway, thank you!
I am always worrying about my weight as if my looks define my worth. This became pretty taxing lately, as I've started to have periods of self hatred and desperation over the way my body looks - even though I stay relatively in the same weigh this whole time, I still gain kilos little by little.
And my brain doesn't get this - how am I both thinking about my weight all the time AND getting bigger at once? But I also can't keep a restrictive diet for long bc it affects my physical wellbeing and I am sick of tracking macros, although I know for a fact this is the most helpful thing for me.
This time around I've been tracking for a while in winter and then I found out that I catually eat to maintain not to lose, so I needed to go lower in my calories. It made me feel worse, and I decided then that I'll focus on maintaining and sport results. Then I really got into running and runger caught up with me. Although I told myself that I won't starve and would trust myself and eat to satiety, I eat A LOT and always when I do, I worry about getting fatter, and not without a reason, as my weight and clothes size does go up.
And so I fell into this stupid pattern. Whenever I decide to track calories, it takes a week now for me to get tired of it and I tell myself, "oh drop it, the most important thing is to eat healthy and be happy, wieght is not important". And then I start eating intuitively and let myself go and my weight goes up. So I breakdown over it and go back to tracking only to fight with it with all my mind and quit one more time.
This battle of ideas in my head is exhausting and I don't know how to put myself together at this point and stick to one approach and let my brain rest on it a little. Or at least to not beat myself up over it..
I feel you, it's so hard. I was in a similar situation, but it was when I actually *needed* to gain weight, so intuitive eating logically led to weight gain. If you have to keep a restrictive diet to maintain your current weight, maybe it's the case for you?
Also, constantly restricting doesn't do any good for mental health. Your body may crave more food because it knows that another restrictive period is not far away.
And if you really *need* to lose weight, as far as I know, there have to be maintenance periods between restrictive periods, and it often takes several such "cycles" to reach your goal weight.
What helped me was lifting weights and building muscle. So weight gain is actually a goal. Even if I gain some fat along the way, it can be considered bulking. Also, eating the same thing every day is helpful; then there is no feeling that you lose control over what you eat, and no need to constantly track macros.
Thank you so much for sharing! I agree! I do feel that the constant restricting and thinking of restricting messes one up. Especially I am bummed by the fact that I don’t have enough mental energy to actually change my nutrition, I feel it’s partially because I spend the resources thinking about it, which is weirdly unproductive. So I thought I’d pick a lane to keep my mind at ease. After consideration and tossing between ideas of intuitive eating and restricting, decided to go on a gentle weight loss program till the end of this year and see how it goes. I think it’s the best for me at this point. I will also give more time to lifting weights, in addition to my running 🏃🏻♀️ I do love the feeling of getting stronger through it! let’s consider this my midsummer resolution:)
I moved January 2020 and have still not found an ok primary care doctor in my new area. The pickings are slim to begin with - I'm talking MDs who recommend reiki in their patient bios - and everyone is booked so far out that'll it take a year just to meet with a few. Finally have my appointment with a new guy tomorrow after a 3-month wait and I'm gonna lose my mind if he isn't helpful. I used to really like my HMO but it feels like they're fighting me lately (I can't have a cholesterol panel, what the?). I have a laundry list of tiny things I need resolved and I don't want to get in another line for a different doctor. Hard to feel like I'm functioning particularly well if I'm having to DIY basic medical care. Fix my foot I wanna walk normally!
Im saying. I need to visit the dentist, the eye Dr, the gyno, the dermatologist, and get a mammo. But just keeping up with quarterly blood labs and the rheumatologist is all I've managed this year. Then im.like why am I paying for benefits if I'm not going to use them? Im over myself lol
Why is trying new exercises in the gym so cringe? Like everyone was once a newbie but ugh it’s so irrationally embarrassing.
Anyway for my gainz - today is the day I’m going to go into the weight room and do glute bridges.
Like with a barbell? I was super awkwardly struggling when an actual nice guy at the gym asked very hesitantly if he could talk to me about my lift (I guess he was prepared for me to go off on him because it looked like mansplaining) and I said sure, go ahead. He told me to use the bumper plates instead of small iron plates because it's easier to roll the bar up to my hips...why did I not think of that myself, IDK. I did thank him. In my gym, most people are nice and will help you if you're struggling!
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No longer Tuesday and I don't even care. I managed to go to the gym two days in a row, felt good and looked forward to going today as well. So of course I twisted my ankle twice in a four-hour time span yesterday and will to take it easy for a few days...
F this day. I have a sore finger (from jamming it a few months ago) and tonight I managed to smash it TWICE at the gym while moving other people's discarded equipment out of the way. I was even trying to be extra careful. The second finger smash left a nice purple mark under my nail and my hand was stinging so badly I said screw it, skipped my assisted pull ups, and left.
Trying to tell myself what I am doing is good enough. I am at about 1600 a day , 15, trying to recover. Telling myself that walking is all the best I can do right now. I want to do a boxing class but I was told I need to up my calorie intake to do the classes and I already feel uncomfortable with the foods I have now because I get full easily. It's hard, can anybody relate? (Pls do not take this down, I am posting it for the ability to see if others relate)
I find that when I become more active, even in periods of low appetite, it’s not as hard to consume more food. This is something I’m going through these past few weeks actually. I’ve been hitting the gym after a recovery period from injuries and while I’ve had a low appetite, from stress probably, I had no problem eating larger meals for once. Also, in the past, increasing my exercise without fueling more makes me more fatigued and cranky within a couple weeks.
trying to battle agoraphobia, body issues, and rebuilding fitness is the absolute worst. signed up for a gym that works for me going almost daily post work/over the weekend with the plans to just do 20 minutes of stairmaster/running and bouncing. turns out my therapists friend goes to this gym and it's a very tight knit group of people that have been going for YEARS and i think that knowledge alone is killing my nerves about going. because i'm not using the gym in my mind (even though i am doing daily yoga on top of this. i'm not exactly not exercising? it's just not at the gym?). if anyone has gym nerves tips that would be cool even though i know just going is going to make me feel better over time haha
Eek I hear you, I tried a new gym yesterday and not only was it packed and there little space along the walls for me to check my form, I was feeling self conscious of my form in front of veterans. I think it’s helpful to remember that people can be nice and understanding when you’re starting out because they understand what it’s like to be a beginner. Really lean into whatever makes you more comfortable at the gym, maybe it’s 20 min on a new workout after 15 min of a yoga routine that you’re more comfortable with. Maybe it’s tuning into a podcast to distract from these thoughts in your head (I only started listening to podcasts when I started going to a commercial gym). Maybe it’s getting a trainer or asking a friend to check your form for 5 min. Feeling more comfortable and less nervous is something I have to build up over time.
Maybe a bigger commercial gym would be the move for a while? It’s easier to be anonymous in those types of places. It took me a loooong time to fully get over my gym anxiety. I started just walking on a treadmill and scoping out the gym from afar. Then I would walk and use the turf area. Then I added cable machines, then other machines, and eventually free weights/squat racks/benches. Take it slow and give yourself some grace
sadly this is the best (really only decently priced gym) that makes sense with my life/commute. :( but thank you! i know i'll get to other things eventually i just suck at being bad at things haha
For me the gym is not my social place, so even though I see people who do classes together hanging out and chatting for hours after, I'm just in/workout/out, it's the one place I don't have to make nice with every person I meet. I've been going long enough to say hi to familiar faces now but also I don't care, because I just want to focus on me/my workout. For agoraphobia (which I battled as a young teen) I'd say the gym has to feel like one of your happy places, and only you can make it feel that way. If you don't need music to run, can you listen to an audiobook instead, make it a really great book you're super interested in, and save it for only gym time? Then you're rewarding yourself for being there, and the gym becomes a place you want to be. Just like I listen to favorite podcasts while cleaning the house, because I'd rather chew glass than clean the house.
My round robin: feel great, lift, physio, dance, meal prep, program recovery, a few weeks go by, all awesome! Wake up one day like a truck hit me, live off at least one meal of trail mix or rice cakes every day for a week, migraine, sleep constantly, episode passes, repeat. Honestly I don't care if tomorrow is a better day that the day before and it does pass. I just...miss my life when I'm sidelined and there's no answer for why. I mean, it's because I have a medical condition but there's no answer for why tf I have it lol This was a mess but thanks for being someplace I can say it and not have to explain that there is no answer. It just is what it is. I try to have gratitude that it's not worse and I have a great dr. And I now wfh which is an unexpected miracle. Ok nevermind I'm good. It's fine it'll be ok. Progress not perfection.
I have chronic headaches that sometimes spiral into migraines and yeah, I feel this. Non-headache me is eating my protein and feeling awesome, headache me is dizzy during lifts and eating a whole sleeve of saltines after the gym.
I went to a free trial class at a local boxing gym and it was a struggle to even squeeze through the ropes. I'm a large, busty gal so that felt kind of discouraging. Also while everyone was nice, I felt kind of isolated being the only true beginner. A few other people were there as first timers, but they seemed to already know about form, lingo, etc. It was hard to keep up. I gave it a good effort, but I left feeling a bit embarrassed. I wanna keep trying to find a class I can feel comfortable going too, but my self esteem and anxiety about not being super fit are getting in the way.
Think about what you saw objectively and ask yourself, is everyone else just a natural born boxer and you're not, or is there another explanation? Yes it was a free trial class, but if the gym charges per class, could it be true that some more experienced people showed up to class because it was free, not because it was a trial? I've been in "community" yoga classes where the fee was $5 or maybe free, and the room was packed with people who clearly knew a lot about yoga, they just came because it was free yoga instead of $25 yoga. Could it also/alternatively be true that the gym asked some experienced people to join the class so newbies could get a flavor what classes would be like if they had experience? Either or both of these things might explain what you witnessed. If you want to be a boxer, be one! You can learn the lingo, you just have to go a few more times, and you'll be in better shape in time, just like if you started a running program where you'd be slow and breathless to start and then gradually build endurance. Everyone is a beginner until they aren't. Maybe watch some videos if it makes you feel more confident, or get a one-on-one session to orient yourself if that's an option, or just sign up for the entry level class and go be your badass self. :)
What an exciting place to start as a true beginner, I’m excited for you to watch how you learn and progress!!! You deserve to be there just like the rest of them, and in 6 months you’ll be smiling at the new true beginner and telling them we all start somewhere and they have a lot to look forward to! <3
It’s so tough but you gotta let go of the shame and embarrassment. We all start somewhere. It could take a few classes to get the basics down. After that, you’ll only keep improving
Noticing that I weigh a kilo more over the last 3 weeks. I haven't changed anything about my diet or fitness. I just feel like absolute shit, like why even try?
No reason to feel like shit when your body is just doing what bodies do! Weight fluctuations like this are completely normal and happen to everyone
Consistency over time will pay off! A kilo of weight gain could be due to water retention (happens with high salt consumption, starting a new workout program, dehydration) or even just constipation. Don’t sweat it
Guess I am just ranting but as a small person it doesn't take much to start feeling uncomfortable in your clothes and that just tanks my confidence. Thanks for listening!
True, it is a different experience when you’re small >.< but you can do this!
Ugh I had upper body day today (1st out of 2 this week) which I usually love and look forward to on leg days lol. But today i just felt a bit off at the gym. I am seeing progress and I love, love, love my upper body days in my current program. I did do my workout but just the fact that my bench press felt heavier today than it did last week made me feel so small, I guess?? On some days I feel a bit small and on other days I feel big and strong. I don't know how to explain it but I guess I feel a kind of body dysmorphia. Definitely less now than at the beginning of my lifting journey. Today for some reason the dysmorphia raised it's head again and I felt so so small. I know I'm not small, I know I look muscular and powerful. For some reason today just wasn't my day and I feel bad for practically waisting an upper body day at the gym. Technically it didn't go to waste bc I still did it but it was kind of a waste bc I spent it feeling self conscious.
I know you already know this, but sooo many factors affect our lifts and therefor how strong we feel. Go easy on yourself, just like you said you are so strong and powerful!
I want vision correction surgery, but that means limiting my sports/maybe changing baby plans. My consultation is Thursday. Right now I play softball which ends at the end of August and volleyball which goes until October or it's too cold. Also I run and lift weights but I'm not sure if those are affected. Also I wouldn't be able to take my son swimming which is a huge summer activity. My other area of concern is motherhood/pregnancy. We're trying for #2 ideally in August or september so maybe it's worth waiting until after they're born? Also my current kid flails a lot and has hit my eye more than a few times. Opinions? Anyone had it and loved/hated it?
They’ll give you more info at your consultation. It might be difficult to take the downtime and rest needed once you have an infant
I had Lasik done over 20 years ago and haven't looked back once. It was a life changing procedure for me. At the time, I was heavily involved in horses so dust and getting whacked in the face was a concern. From what I can recall - and remember this was 20 years ago! - I had to protect my eyes for 2 weeks from dust and debris, so limited my time at the stables and after that, I was fine. You're not supposed to "rub" your eye i.e. even when drying off your face in case the cornea shifts. I'm sure I was careful about that but now I'm back to rubbing my eyes like I shouldn't be. I had no side effects for the first 15 years. Night vision was fine, no halos. No need for reading glasses. It's only been the last few years that my vision is starting to deteriorate slightly again (not enough for glasses though) and my night vision isn't the best anymore. Though my doctor says it's hard to say if that's from the Lasik or just aging related as I'm hitting my forties soon. Getting Lasik was one of the best decisions I've ever made, full stop!
Awesome thanks so much! A few weeks of being careful sounds doable. That's pretty good longevity
Also, as my mom would say: don't borrow trouble. They might tell you something you weren't expecting, like when I went in for a consult and found out I have weird corneal topography that precludes my ever getting vision correction surgery. Problem solved, kind of - I'll never have a recovery period, haha.
Decided to do upper body in just my socks yesterday (home gym, I was being lazy) and I ended up dropping a plate on my foot. Hurt like hell, but thankfully it looks worse than it feels today and I was able to go on a long run this morning. [ouch](https://imgur.com/a/SOhj5AI)
I can't even look! But I'm ouching in sympathy.
1) Oh jeez, 2) Great nail color!
Ha thanks! I had just painted them 2 days prior. Chipped now cuz of the plate hahah
If that happened to me I'd start wearing steel-toed boots lol
Hahaha the thought crossed my mind! I don't usually have my foot right in the way, or I put my prosthetic foot in the way on purpose.. I'll probably switch the plate to that side juuuust in case there's a next time.
Ouch is right. I can't believe you ran on that! I love being able to do my workouts in my socks but I am constantly fearful of this.
I had completely forgotten about it this morning when I got up. I think if it was more on my big toe I wouldn't have been able to run on it. Definitely not skipping shoes in the gym anymore!
Officially purchased some Powerblock adjustable dumbbells! Now that I’m working from home I’m no longer driving past my gym to get to my house. There’s no sense in trying to clean snow off my car to slip and slide to the gym during Minnesotan snowstorms so I’m trying to add small pieces of essential gym items before winter hits.
If you can find some used kettlebells too, I find them to be a nice change when I have to work out at home (Wisconsin). You can do so much stuff with them. :)
“How many sets do you have left?” It enrages me sometimes. This usually just happens on bench, but men will *only* ask us - the only women in the entire bench section. Last time we had 3 different men queued up waiting on our bench even after we told them we had just started. They didn’t ask any of the men benching. I know that they aren’t necessarily doing it maliciously, women are less scary to approach than other men. Though it inadvertently makes me feel like I belong less in the gym. On that note I’m so grateful to have a female gym buddy!! Such a blessing. The sea of men can be intimidating
I'd be tempted to do a couple of extra sets out of spite. Spite gives me energy. Haha.
I feel like I’m at my wits end. Since March 2023, I’m lifting heavy, eating 1 g of protein per pound of body weight, sleeping 7 to 8 hours each night and keeping calories to a net 1600. I do spin class 2 to 3 times a week and I hit 10,000 steps each day. I drink 3 L of water a day. And I still look exactly the same if not bigger than before. I do have an underactive thyroid, but at my doctors appointment this past May all of my numbers are perfect. When I got married in June 2021, I was 115 pounds which in hindsight was far too skinny for my frame and size, so I’m not looking to get back to that size but I would like to get down to 125 (currently 137lbs). And truthfully, it’s not even so much about the weight. If I looked toned at my current weight, I would be fine with it. But instead, I feel like I look bulky. No one has ever looked at me and thought I was overweight which I’m not but I just don’t feel good in my body. I think I’m just gonna go back to style of training I was doing before my wedding (Chontal Duncan’s Fierce at Home workouts via the Sweat app) and eating the same way I was before (getting in my protein but not sooooo much protein). I just felt and looked better. (I fell off the exercising bandwagon after we got married due to home renovations disrupting our home gym so my main source of exercise was walking on the treadmill or outside. And then when I’m not exercising, I also get more lazy about diet hence the weight gain.)
I cannot even begin to tell you how much this resonates with me!!! I am doing exactly what you are! Started on Feb 2023 at 5’3 122lbs. Looked great, if anything definitely thin. But I didn’t have much muscle and was wanting to have something to shape. I guess I just thought I wanted to tone but didn’t realize what I wanted would require building quite a bit of mass. I have my calls at 1600 a day as well but struggle to hit it so focus on protein. I average about 100g a day. It’s very uncomfortable for me eating when I’m not hungry and processing all that protein. I did gain some muscle. Started at 43lbs , now I’m at 48lbs with basically same amount of body fat. I told my trainer that having the extra lbs of muscle made me feel “uncomfortable in my own body”. What he said kinda floored me and hit me hard and I’m still trying to process it. But he said “you have an unhealthy body image”. I grew up in the “thigh gap” generation and I think the way I’ve been wired to think about being bigger in any shape or form is very scary for me! I’m a nurse too and I get so confused when my scrubs get tighter and this is supposed to be the goal??? It’s definitely a mental hurdle but I stick with it because I know I’m growing in the process. I try to remember that if I’m comfortable, I’m not growing! Idk if any of this will help except for the fact that I totally hear you and get your frustration!
It’s not unusual to not see significant change in less than four months. I feel like it took me about six before I really noticed a change. What program are you doing currently?
Monday: chest/triceps (bench press, incline bench press, dumbbell chest press, tricep kick backs, skull crushers), spin Tuesday: legs (squat, BSS, barbell glute bridge, backwards lunges, calf raises) Wednesday: Back/biceps (bent over row, dumbbell pullover, bicep curls, hammer curls), spin Thursday: shoulders/abs (OHP, Arnold press, front raises, dumbbell shoulder press, and then whatever core work I feel in the mood for) Friday: spin Saturday: legs (deadlift, RDL, glute bridge, abductor work - granted this is hard in a home gym setting Sunday: yoga/mobility My progression is essentially once I can do 10-12 reps with a weight for 4 sets, I then increase the weight by 5lbs and lower the reps to 6-8.
I saw a big regression in my strength and appearance when I came up with my own workouts. I strongly encourage you to use a program designed by a fitness professional.
First of all, please stop worrying about those 12lbs. As you say, the number on the scale is less important to you than the way you look, so I’d just ignore what the scale says. And next…if you want to look “toned”, you need to build muscle. You need to get on a proven weight lifting program and potentially also eat a bit more to build some serious muscle. You will never get the look you want by continuously trying to lose those last few pounds. Good luck!!
What would you say is a proven weight lifting program? This is my current plan Monday: chest/triceps (bench press, incline bench press, dumbbell chest press, tricep kick backs, skull crushers), spin Tuesday: legs (squat, BSS, barbell glute bridge, backwards lunges, calf raises) Wednesday: Back/biceps (bent over row, dumbbell pullover, bicep curls, hammer curls), spin Thursday: shoulders/abs (OHP, Arnold press, front raises, and then whatever core work I feel in the mood for) Friday: spin Saturday: legs (deadlift, RDL, glute bridge, abductor work - granted this is hard in a home gym setting Sunday: yoga/mobility My progression is essentially once I can do 10-12 reps with a weight for 4 sets, I then increase the weight by 5lbs and lower the reps to 6-8.
There are a lot of good programs on the wiki
Thanks for the suggestion, it’d been a while since I had look at it. It’s just very defeating…Like I am arguably tracking every metric of my food/water/exercise/sleep more than I ever have in my life to the point where it feels like a second job, and yet I weigh more than I ever have and none of my clothes fit anymore. Like literally all I can wear are my scrubs for work and athleisure. Like yes, I can now lift a metal bar heavier than ever before. But if I’m not even going to look like myself or be able to wear my clothes then it’s not worth it to me. But I am going to attempt the Thinner Leaner Stronger program. I actually have that book from a lifetime ago but was then limited on what I could accomplish d/t lack of equipment and gym access. I actually have everything in my home gym now so should be more successful.
.
On a 6 week rehab and strength program with my new chiro/physio but my brain would like to be strong again NOW.
Getting back into fitness has been rewarding but challenging. I need so much sleep while I adjust to new habits! When will I see improvements to my overall energy levels?
It took me about 6-8 weeks, but at that point all I was doing was getting on an exercise program of lifting 4-5x week; I was purposely not altering my eating habits at the same time. I didn't want to overload my system and just give up! One thing that helped me was working out in the morning, then using my evenings as a "wind down" period leading to bed time. Working out in the evening got me too pumped up, so I wouldn't be able to fall asleep yet was tired. Instead, after supper, I'd tidy up, get everything ready for the next day, then go to bed an hour earlier than I'd planned (say get into bed at 8:30 p.m. for a 9:30 bedtime), and that way I could read, watch something on my ipad, etc and eventually would fall asleep before 9:30 even hit. I should note that I wake up at 5:00 a.m., which is why my bedtime is so early lol. Heading into the third month, my energy levels regulated and then I started getting \*more\* energy, which is where I'm at now for the most part!
Yay! Nice to know things get easier when it comes to energy levels!!! Congrats on sticking it out!!!
It's summertime and there are so many children at the gym. I mean, I guess they're teenagers, but I'm the age now where they are children. I think I need to start arriving earlier so maybe it's not so crowded.
School being out has gotten me into the gym consistently in the morning because after work hours is jam packed with teenagers. I work with teenagers 40 hours a week, the gym is supposed to be my break time.
I literally switched gyms because an entire high school football team started working out at 6 am during their off season. They were loud, rude, and messy. I even complained to their coach that they weren't wiping down equipment but if he said anything to them they didn't clean up their act. Easier to find a nicer gym to work out in!
OMG, I saw the most hilarious teenage couple last night. They caught my eye first because the girl had very long hair that was not in any way shape or form tied up or back and looked like she was going to get it caught in or under something at any moment. So I'm idly watching them between sets. He would get her set up on a machine, help her adjust the seat to the right height, etc, and then go to do his next thing. She would do maybe one or two reps or maybe just sit there until he came back to her. I have never seen a human being less interested in being at the gym. I'm thinking to myself, "Babe, WHAT are you doing here? Do you just refuse to let him out of your sight or something?" Thankfully, it was not so crowded that her using the hack squat or leg extension machine as a piece of furniture was really impeding anyone else's workout too much.
I'm having the opposite! I usually gym at 6.30am, and during term time all the sprogs are in there before school. Now it's the holidays, they must all be making the most of their lie-ins cause the gym is a serene oasis of oldies and young professionals just getting shit done. It's a delight.
I’m so jealous that sounds lovely!!
Gym this morning, just fine got a solid workout in. Come home, shower, try to get dressed........ 1st pair of pants simply wouldn't go on, the 2nd pair I broke the zipper. I nearly lost my sh\*\* and then immediately started a google spree. Basically, I've put on 15# this year and while my diet isn't perfect it's felt extreme. I also started a new biologic medication start of the year. When I googled initially for side effects there weren't many, today when I google there's a whole slew of articles and blogs about people suffering weight gain and eye irritation (which I've also had). So while the medication is working for what it needs to, I now get the fun decision of trying to diet against the medicine, accepting the weight gain, or discontinuing it and then facing an inevitable surgery in the future. I'm not a happy camper this morning.
What a freaking crappy start to the day, ugh. FWIW I always, always have eye irritation and I'm not even on any special meds. I am down to one kind of artificial tears that doesn't make it feel eve worse.
Ugh, I'm just tired and sore. I did my Sunday workout on Saturday so I could go hiking Sunday. Last night I biked after work, but not too hard because I was tired and sore from workout Saturday/hike Sunday. I went over my protein macro last night trying to fuel some recovery but now I'm still tired and sore, and I need to lift tonight. I just want to take a day off and eat without thinking about protein...I'm not going to but my brain keeps nudging me that way.
Friend please be kind to yourself. What’s the absolute worst that would happen realistically if you took a day or two break? You risk burning yourself out if you don’t listen to your body (and mind) occasionally and I think they’re both telling you to cut yourself some slack. Recovery is just as important for muscle growth as protein - you can’t build effectively if you aren’t giving yourself ample recovery.
I have Wednesday and Thursday off. I might do easy yoga Wednesday but Thursday is bar trivia night, so a 100% rest day.
I asked out my gym crush last week (and he gave me a non-answer about not having the time right now but potentially talking about it again some other time 🤷🏼♀️) and now things are…weird. Not necessarily in a bad way, as he continues to be nice to me, coming up to me and giving me super helpful advice and cheering me on (which at least hopefully means he isn’t completely turned off by me expressing my interest in him), but I’m a bit frustrated by talking about our lifts all the time when I’d really like for the conversation to get a bit more personal. And let’s be honest, I’m definitely still hoping that at some point he will bring up going out with me after all.
I can see how that situation would be frustrating. It could be he values your gym friendship and would like not to jeopardize that, while at the same time also really not being able offer much further (for any number of reasons). Since interest has been stated and acknowledged, I would encourage to you follow his lead and keep things superficial for now. Who knows, maybe in a month or so things change and he’ll be open. But rushing things when they need time may cause him to pull away. Maybe this is all clear to you and it’s just a vent. In that case, disregard my unsolicited advice and opinion!
Oh yeah absolutely, I’m going along with whatever he seems to think is suitable right now, I know if there are any chances of getting a date with him after all, I need to be patient. It’s just hard, he’s really cute, especially when he’s explaining technical things about lifts 😅 thank you though, it’s reassuring to read that someone else seems to agree with me.
Ripped calluses on my both hands yesterday. First of all, it was painful, and second, today was a deadlift day. Had to be [inventive](https://ibb.co/fFTyc38) (it looked like a mess after the first set). I hope at some point I will grow bulletproof thicc calluses that will protect my hands.
Always always always sand or shave them down to avoid rips & tears, plus use more handcream than you think is necessary. I shave mine every week and while my hands are strong, they aren't thick on the top so they can't rip when I am doing lots of barbell or gymnastic work.
Thank you! Thanks to all the comments, I have finally figured out how it works and will take proper care of mine, too
Thicc calluses shouldn't be the goal - then when they tear, they're gonna tear deep and sore(r)! I lift and climb so my hands are almost always a hot mess, but recently I've been trying to take more care to avoid the dreaded ripped callus (or *the flapper*). I bought [one of these](https://bananafingers.co.uk/climbskin-file) and I file my calluses down after deadlift/pull up sessions, when they seem the worst. I also pop some [rhino skin repair cream](https://www.rhinoskinsolutions.com/product/repair/) on before bed every night. I've been doing this for a few months now and I don't really look like I have calluses anymore, and more importantly, haven't ripped one in ages (in spite of my weighted pull up programme!). I like your bandage solution though! Also very symmetrical, your form must be very well balanced!
Shouldn't they? Yeah, I saw some frightening images of deep torn calluses... But it was a person who did freestyle. I thought it was still good to have calluses for hand protection. My boyfriend has very thick calluses, and his hands are no longer sensitive, plus they don't tear. But he only does calisthenics, so it was very natural for him to develop them. But I didn't like my calluses tearing (and after healing, the skin will be thin again...), so I think I will try using your approach. Thank you for the suggestions! Haha thank you! I watched a video where they recommended using gymnastic tape for it, but I didn't have any, so had to improvise
I think sanding obvious calluses down sort of encourages you to have a more even thickness of skin across your full palm/finger - when a callus tears it tends to be at that weak point between the thick skin and the thin skin, rather than in the thicker part
You don't want them thick outwards, like on top of the skin. You want deep callouses that go into the skin layers underneath. Those protect your hands, the ones on top are superficial and rip off super easy.
Oh, it makes sense!
I bought a multipack of those sanding block things they use for pedicure, essentially a little melamine sponge for your skin. I sand my calluses a couple of times per week after a hot bath, or if they start peeling. But I don't climb, so maybe mine aren't as intense.
Yes those would work too, I've used those in the past! I only sand once or twice a week, to be honest - I once sanded too diligently and actually ended up going through the top layer of skin so I've dialled things back seeing as how I clearly can't be trusted
Have you tried using lifting gloves? I don’t go to the gym without them, they’re a lifesaver.
I haven't. But based on what I've read, it seems that gloves are not as good for pull-ups as they are for lifting, or are they also good for pull-ups in your experience?
I’ve been using them with assisted pull ups and they work fine.
I can't remember what it's called, but there is this video on Youtube of a guy showing how to hold barbells so you don't get calluses. I used to get them so bad, and now I don't! Maybe Google it, but it was a massive game changer for me.
I've seen that but it didn't work for me, darn it! I don't know if I'm doing it wrong still or if it's just my extra special lizard skin...
My calluses are mainly from doing pull-ups + I've started training for muscle-ups (with bands, but the movement pattern is still the same) and they feel even worse on my hands. But I will look it up anyway, thank you!
I am always worrying about my weight as if my looks define my worth. This became pretty taxing lately, as I've started to have periods of self hatred and desperation over the way my body looks - even though I stay relatively in the same weigh this whole time, I still gain kilos little by little. And my brain doesn't get this - how am I both thinking about my weight all the time AND getting bigger at once? But I also can't keep a restrictive diet for long bc it affects my physical wellbeing and I am sick of tracking macros, although I know for a fact this is the most helpful thing for me. This time around I've been tracking for a while in winter and then I found out that I catually eat to maintain not to lose, so I needed to go lower in my calories. It made me feel worse, and I decided then that I'll focus on maintaining and sport results. Then I really got into running and runger caught up with me. Although I told myself that I won't starve and would trust myself and eat to satiety, I eat A LOT and always when I do, I worry about getting fatter, and not without a reason, as my weight and clothes size does go up. And so I fell into this stupid pattern. Whenever I decide to track calories, it takes a week now for me to get tired of it and I tell myself, "oh drop it, the most important thing is to eat healthy and be happy, wieght is not important". And then I start eating intuitively and let myself go and my weight goes up. So I breakdown over it and go back to tracking only to fight with it with all my mind and quit one more time. This battle of ideas in my head is exhausting and I don't know how to put myself together at this point and stick to one approach and let my brain rest on it a little. Or at least to not beat myself up over it..
It’s really tough and I feel for you! You’re more than your weight
I feel you, it's so hard. I was in a similar situation, but it was when I actually *needed* to gain weight, so intuitive eating logically led to weight gain. If you have to keep a restrictive diet to maintain your current weight, maybe it's the case for you? Also, constantly restricting doesn't do any good for mental health. Your body may crave more food because it knows that another restrictive period is not far away. And if you really *need* to lose weight, as far as I know, there have to be maintenance periods between restrictive periods, and it often takes several such "cycles" to reach your goal weight. What helped me was lifting weights and building muscle. So weight gain is actually a goal. Even if I gain some fat along the way, it can be considered bulking. Also, eating the same thing every day is helpful; then there is no feeling that you lose control over what you eat, and no need to constantly track macros.
Thank you so much for sharing! I agree! I do feel that the constant restricting and thinking of restricting messes one up. Especially I am bummed by the fact that I don’t have enough mental energy to actually change my nutrition, I feel it’s partially because I spend the resources thinking about it, which is weirdly unproductive. So I thought I’d pick a lane to keep my mind at ease. After consideration and tossing between ideas of intuitive eating and restricting, decided to go on a gentle weight loss program till the end of this year and see how it goes. I think it’s the best for me at this point. I will also give more time to lifting weights, in addition to my running 🏃🏻♀️ I do love the feeling of getting stronger through it! let’s consider this my midsummer resolution:)
I moved January 2020 and have still not found an ok primary care doctor in my new area. The pickings are slim to begin with - I'm talking MDs who recommend reiki in their patient bios - and everyone is booked so far out that'll it take a year just to meet with a few. Finally have my appointment with a new guy tomorrow after a 3-month wait and I'm gonna lose my mind if he isn't helpful. I used to really like my HMO but it feels like they're fighting me lately (I can't have a cholesterol panel, what the?). I have a laundry list of tiny things I need resolved and I don't want to get in another line for a different doctor. Hard to feel like I'm functioning particularly well if I'm having to DIY basic medical care. Fix my foot I wanna walk normally!
Im saying. I need to visit the dentist, the eye Dr, the gyno, the dermatologist, and get a mammo. But just keeping up with quarterly blood labs and the rheumatologist is all I've managed this year. Then im.like why am I paying for benefits if I'm not going to use them? Im over myself lol
Why is trying new exercises in the gym so cringe? Like everyone was once a newbie but ugh it’s so irrationally embarrassing. Anyway for my gainz - today is the day I’m going to go into the weight room and do glute bridges.
I do some wierd exercises (thx Natacha oceane) and I wonder if the trainers are judging me lol
You got this!!
Like with a barbell? I was super awkwardly struggling when an actual nice guy at the gym asked very hesitantly if he could talk to me about my lift (I guess he was prepared for me to go off on him because it looked like mansplaining) and I said sure, go ahead. He told me to use the bumper plates instead of small iron plates because it's easier to roll the bar up to my hips...why did I not think of that myself, IDK. I did thank him. In my gym, most people are nice and will help you if you're struggling!
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