Stinkweed

Ok, and one last question: Whats a good brand of whey protein that is ready to drink (that you don't have to mix it up in a blender and stuff..)? Or are they all pretty much just as good?

Got it. So it's ok to do cardio and strength training on the same day (I always used to do it before, but then I read somewhere it wasn't the best way, but I guess it could be wrong, cause I do think I was making more progress when I did it the other way). Can it just be immediately after? Because to be honest the only time I have to work out in the entire day, is in the morning, very early...

There's some good advice there. Thank you so much. I think that is something I've been doing wrong. I mean I just went to this site that said my target heart rate is around the 160's I believe, I dunno how bogus that might be, and according to the machines I get on, my heart rate oscilates above 180 sometimes reaching 200 which is pretty close to my maximum heart rate... So maybe I should slow down a bit when doing cardio? Yeah, I never do weight training two days in a row. But you said 2 days cardio 3 days strength and alternate them? Does that mean that one week I do 2 days cardio and 3 days strength, the the next I do 3 days cardio and 2 days strength? Cause I dunno... only 2 days cardio sounds like too little cardio to me... But maybe I'm wrong?

Ok, thank you SO much for your reply, you seem to truly know what it is about. Ok, I already eat about 6 meals scattered throughout the day, and I always eat lots of protein. I don't drink a protein shake per se. Well I do drink this after my workout: link removed Except the one I buy is a newer one that has 17g of protein instead of 15g. And I guarantee you that's not all the protein I get. I'm seriously considering using creatine... But I dunno, that sounds like it is for more competitive body builder types. Anyway, Yeah, I guess I'll stick to the weight training, but I've got another question: How intense should the cardio be? Should it be less intense but for a longer period of time, or more intense but for 30 minutes only?

Ok, for those who remember my recent posts about fitness, I apologize, it's just that each time I come up with a new concern or maybe I just read something new, and I figure it's easier to get replies by starting a new thread. Anyway, I'm gonna start with the details once again: I turned 19 pretty recently, but when I was almost 18 already, I weighed 245lbs, and started a very strict diet (I probably should've stopped doing earlier) and in 6 months I was at 200lbs. I stayed at 200lbs for a while, then kept on dieting, until about two months ago after visiting a nutritinist that told me that diet was no good for me anymore and that I needed more calories because I was already at a healthy weight (180-185lbs... I've been oscilating in that range ever since, depending on my activity level, so I guess the reason my weight varies is just fluids and stuff). Anyway, my problem is that I still look like crap (my butt literaly hangs... I mean, I tried on a pair of size 34 jeans, and the waist was the perfect fit, perhaps even a little loose, but they felt so tight around my butt and thighs even though they were supposed to be "relaxed fit" God, I know I'm sounding so NOT like a dude right now, I apologize, I won't do that again, and no offense meant to ANYONE, please), and I've got sort of this excess flab all around my body, but there's more of it in some specific parts of my body, and it's like fat but very light and soft and not THAT thick, I dunno what it is, but I'm guessing it's just excess body fat left, then. Anyway, since my visit to the nutritionist at the end of november, I've pretty much worked out every day. In the beginning I did weights and cardio every day, but made the humongous mistake of doing exercise in the morning with no glucose whatsoever in my blood. I fixed this and I try to eat an energy bar at least 30 minutes before working out. Then I changed my routine and started doing weights only 2 days a week (upper body on one day, and lower body on the other), so I do monday, wednesday and friday pretty intense cardio for at least 30 minutes, then weights on tuesdays and thursdays for 30 minutes as well, I guess. Now, I know results aren't supposed to be immediate, but after reading this: link removed I've started to wonder if this is my problem. I do 30 minutes of pretty intense cardio, to be honest. Perhaps that's not what I should be doing? Maybe I should be doing as that site says, and do maybe 60 minutes of not so intense aerobic activity such as power walking or jogging at a moderate pace instead of running like I do? Or is that just bogus and I just need to stick to my regime a bit longer? Please, any tips are welcome. PS: I do not aspire to ever look like one of them male super-models or hollywood actors who can afford to work out 6 hours a day or those professional athletes with 5% body fat or less. But this just can't be the best I'll ever look man! That'd just suck...

for at least a couple of months until about 3 days ago, I had been doing great. I mean, I'm talking about moods. This is gonna be long, so feel free to skim or skip till the last 2 paragraphs or whatever. Anyway, the summer right after high school, I was pretty sad to let everything go. I knew I wouldn't see any of my friends again, cause we'd all go our separate ways very far from each other, and I already knew that I wasn't gonna have any friends in college, plus, since it's college, classes were gonna be hella hard. Then on my first semester in college there'd just be "good" weeks when at least I was able to focus on school and I didn't feel depressed, and then the bad weeks when I'd just feel so down. Then came the last couple of months and I felt pretty good overall. I mean, I was doing well in school, etc. Lots of things I still didn't have, but I didn't care and I didn't even felt like working for those (I'm talking about making friends, etc). Then these last days I've been feeling more and more depressed again. I still don't feel like socializing, cause it's weird. It's like despite the fact that I don't have a girlfriend, and I've never had one, and I haven't made a single real friend since high school, I don't feel lonely, know what I mean? I probably should, but then again, maybe I was born to be a recluse or something. What's a real friend anyway? I do talk to people, and try to socialize and relate to them, and stuff, and some people are friendly. But I remember the last friends I had, and the ones I had before those, we'd just goof around. It felt so much more... human... everything from the handshakes we had and the silly games we played where we'd tackle each other (jokingly. not like we'd hurt each other either, lol. But heck, we were guys), etc, to the conversations, and it felt like we had each other's backs but it seems that now in college the only people who do similar things (except for the watching each other's backs) are a bunch of jerks and frat guys, I just don't like them and can't relate to them because I'm not one of them (I've never been the one to mess with people, or to talk *beep* about them on their back, or to make fun of other kids just because I was with my friends. I never did that, even when I had friends, because I knew what it was to had no friends myself). Towards the very end I got along with pretty much everybody in every single class, and we had some laughs, but even before that, when there were classes where I had no friends, it didn't matter to me, cause I knew I'd be seeing my friends during lunch, or in between classes. And unlike the previous couple of years, I felt so great, like I wouldn't feel self conscious when I'd see people laughing (even when I knew it wasn't about my) anymore and it felt so great, cause some of my friends were girls and I got hugs on a daily basis, and I was actually funny, and made my friends laugh out loud (on purpose! not like they laughed at me. Now I can't help but feel that people would only laugh at me). And now in college, I'm just not the same person, even though I wih I were, cause I loved myself, back then (in a feel-good, not weird, kind of way). And I tried many things, from socializing the first couple of weeks (which I was told would be the best time to make friends, etc. After a while I kinda gave up...) to joining extra-curricular activities (I joined the only one I found interesting, and I only know the people I work with and stuff, but still don't feel like I'm FRIENDS with them... Maybe it is that I need to update my concept of "friends" to a more mature/grown-up one?). Maybe I'm just an idiot who needs to grow up, but I dunno how to, and I wish I didn't have to, cause sometimes I miss feeling young. But feeling young makes no sense anymore, because I've got so many more responsibilities and a much considerable workload, less time, etc. The whole senior year I was pretty happy with what I had, yet I wanted more (for example I had always wanted to start a band, but none of my friends were into the same music I was, etc. Sometimes I thought in the back of my mind that maybe I'd meet people who would want to in college, and that I'd have new and different friends. They're different alright, especially if they're friends at all. I still dunno anyone who'd like to start a band, and I wouldn't even have time anyway), and as the year ended I knew things were most likely not gonna be that good ever, and that what I had (which was awesome. Not perfect, but the again what is?) was as good as it'd get. Here's the reason I rant: It is not that I want to go back in time. But as of now I started feeling depressed because I live life day by day, and every time I think about the future, I dunno what I'll do. I chose the career that sounded "less bad" for me, because honestly there's nothing I felt zest for. There's nothing I love doing. Nothing that'd get me good money at least. And I know that one of these will be 4-6 years from now: 1- I will have graduated at least. Still no friends, no girlfriend, but who cares (it's what I feel like right now), but I'll be much farther away from my family, which is all I've got left, but I will have a decent paying job, even though I hate it or find it boring/unappealing. 2- same as one, but I will have regretted not trying harder to make friends or meet girls, whatever. 3- I'll be a failure, and my grades will be so crappy cause college only gets harder, and if I haven't been drafted, I'll just join the army or something, cause at least that'd be doing something, even if my life will be at stake. Maybe I'm being a pessimist, but last time I thought about the worst case scenario (and it's not like I didn't try to make it otherwise, you know? I actually tried but there wasn't much else I could do), even though I tried not to think much about it and I'd just think "No need to feel blue. We'll just wait and see", the worst case scenario was pretty much what happened. And I'm really scared because my new classes are like 10 times harder than the old ones, and I'm guessing next year's classes will be 10 times harder than these, so I could just go crazy really. Last semester I didn't have a life, but I wanted to have one. This semester I don't think I'll even have time for a life, and will happen next in years to come? Will I even have time to sleep? Maybe I'm just being too pessimistic... But what if I'm not?

Ok, maybe I should've gone more into detail about my situation. I am 19, and back when I was almost 18, I was 245 lbs. Later on I lost 45 lbs and stayed at 200 lbs for a while. I didn't like the way I looked. I dunno what it is, but I got a lot of fat left, I believe, and I believe that maybe it was that the diet I did was too low in calories, thus I ended up losing not only fat, but muscle and lots of fluid, which is why as of now I'm at 180-190 (i've been oscilating there ever since like early october), but I still look like crap. A nutritionist told me I shouldn't lose anymore weight and that I was under-eating, and as hard as it is, I'm trying to fix that. My problem is that my butt literaly hangs man... And it's not all just excess skin and stuff, cause it feels pretty thick when I pinch, say, my thigh, or my belly. But it does feel very flabby, soft and light to be just fat, so I dunno. Maybe that's what fat's supposed to be like? Anyway, before thanksgiving, before I started my new exercise plan, I was at 180 (and I did work out back then as well, but I THOUGHT that I could do a healthier plan). Now I'm at 190, but clothes still fit, but I still look terrible (I can't tell if just as terrible as back then, or worse, to be frank, cause I pretty much see no difference), but I THINK maybe I've gained some muscle? I mean, I just know that if my body fat % were lower, I'd look really good already, but since apparently you can't just burn fat without building muscle as well, that's what I'm trying to do. Well I've been told that doing cardio in the morning before eating anything at all is a terrible thing to do, and it makes sense because the body has nothing to get its energy from (it starts by using the glucose in the blood. If there's no glucose, since our bodies are so GREAT and love fat, it'd rather consume muscle mass itself before burning fat, and that's definitively not what we want. Plus it explains why I started getting all dizzy every time I worked out before having breakfast in the morning). So I dunno about that... I mean, I know that at least it doesn't seem to work for me... true. I've changed my diet. After visiting a nutritionist, I found out I was horribly under-eating (my caloric intake was very low). Now I'm eating more calories, but I still watch what I eat, and stuff, and try to eat as healthy as possible (lots of greens, only complex carbs, and fruits too as well as enough protein to build muscle). Well these last 2-3 weeks I've changed my exercise program and started lifting on even days, and doing cardio on odd days, all while watching my diet (except on certain holiday days, lol, but now I'm back on track). Anyway the way I do weights is slightly different from what you described... So I guess I'll give your method a try. Actually I think I'm doing something really similar to what you called "beginners" weight training (I do 15 reps of each exercise, and in most body parts I do 2 different exercises, which is basically all I know with the dumbbells. I don't use barbells, btw, so I guess I might start using them when I get to the advanced point...). I dunno how well I'm doing. I guess I'll have to wait till february and see, cause I'm gonna be back to school, etc. Although my new schedule sucks and I don't think it will allow me for the varius small equally spaced meals throughout the day (the old one did). Any other tips?

I have a question about my exercise schedule. I usually do cardio every day, followed by weights which I do monday, wednesday and friday upper body, and tuesday and thursday lower body. The thing is that I dunno if this is the most effective way to gain muscle and lower body fat. Is it better this way, or is it better to do cardio and weights on separate days (that is monday wednesday and friday I'd do cardio, and then tuesdays and thursdays I'd do weights)? Which is more effective and produces better and/or faster results as well as better long term effects?

I dunno what you wanna do. If you simply want him to ask you out just so you end up turning him down, then shame on you. You should NEVER do that. Never lead people on. And in this case, why do you care about why he didnt' ask you out? It's not like you were gonna go out with him anyway... On the other hand, if you want to go out with him, I'd say you should ask him out, or at least drop some strong hints that you want him to ask you out like "hey, you know what movie I'd like to see?" and suggest a movie or something, I dunno, I know you could do better than that example, but you get the idea.

You're not embarrassing yourself. You had a crush on him, but I'm sure you will get over it soon enough. He wasn't worth your time anyway. There are plenty of decent, sane, guys out there, so don't let this one get to you. Try being cheerful and smiling, but with everyone, and life in general, not just the guy you have a crush on. I'm sure life will smile back. Best wishes and good luck.

For starters I doubt EVERYONE thinks you're unattractive. I look at your picture and I gotta say you're pretty, and I bet tons of guys would agree. Just look at how many guys replied already. I do not know what you've done, whether you've tried asking a guy out before but they keep turning you down... Either way, I say you gotta cheer up and keep trying. I know I used to get a lot more attention when I was cheerful and upbeat, which makes sense, cause everybody wants to meet fun people. Do not give up.

Yeah I don't particularly care much about the how I look part at this point, but I sure as heck wanna be able to recover faster between sets so I won't whimp out and have to lift less weight after the first couple of sets, thus becoming stronger faster, cause I'm making such slow progress as of now... So unless there's another way, I think I'll give creatine a shot. And I have never read about anyone saying it's dangerous for the heart, although I do know the heart is another muscle, so I dunno... Anyone else got any other suggestions then?

Thank all of you. But now I have another question: Which is more recommended (or are they all the same?): creatine-ethyl-ester or creatine monohydrate?

Ok, I recently heard from someone that creatine is of great help for lifting. So I'm interested now, but first I'd like to know if there could be any harmful side effects or something. Anybody got some info on creatine and lifting?

I understand it takes time, but why am I going backwards? It makes no sense. 4 or 5 times A DAY? I'm sorry I just can't do that. Are you sure it's not a week? Cause I do work out 5 times a week for about an hour (30 minutes cardio then 30 minutes weights). And I think the amount of cardio I do is good cause my metabolism is crap (I've lost a ton of weight, but it just plain sucks, cause I still look horrible and got all this flab, although I'm at a healthy weight, that won't go away EVER unless I lift, hopefully). I don't care what I end up looking like at this point, I just want to look better than I do now. My initial goal was just to slim down, but it apparently isn't possible, you know? To look like a friggin normal person by losing weight just by doin cardio. I don't care whether I end up gaining size or toning, I just want to feel the progress man... I just feel flabbier than before I started and it just sucks... And I just dunno how to get sore anymore man. I can't lift any more weight than what I do already, and I even try adding more reps, but don't get sore man. I'm going to pm you some details about my workout routine if you don't mind. Thank you and best wishes.

Ok, I started about two weeks ago to lift pretty seriously (so this would be the 3rd week already), but mostly for the upper body, then last week I started doing legs as well (so it was like monday, wednesday, friday upper body, and tuesdays and thursdays lower body). This time around I'm eating like a friggin pig compared to what I was eating before, because I was told by a nutritionist that I needed to eat more with this level of activeness and whatnot. So last week I was doing pretty good, and I thought I already had started to look better. But then this week it's like I'm flabbier than before, and it just plain sucks. I don't even feel soreness the following day, and I dunno why. So I do the only thing I can do, add more reps (because I'm not getting stronger for some reason... only a wee little bit maybe) and I still don't feel sore the next day. I've no clue what to do anymore. This is getting to the point of being ridiculous man. I increased my protein intake pretty significantly and I'm even eating more from the bread (whole grain, btw) and grains group and also more fruit, greens etc, I just don't think it is what I'm eating that's creating this problem... maybe it's the workout itself? I just dunno what to do man... And no, I can't find a personal trainer for a reasonable price, so forget that alternative. Please help me. PS: I spend about an hour at the gym every morning already, and I can't find any more time to do any more stuff such as pilates and yoga, even though I truly wish I did... So besides those suggestions, is there anything else?

Well, in a nutshell: I was in a show and a girl jumped from upstage and fell on my head while I was helping someone up from the floor, LOL. Thank God she was pretty skinny, tho.

Haha, thank you. I guess I'll keep trying. I'm in a way better mood right now, lol, cause even tho friday night sucked, saturday RULED!

Hahaha! Exactly!! I don't think you'd believe me if I told you what happened, lol. It wasn't even in a car, or any other vehicle or skateboard or skates or anything that involves wheels. I'll try the warm towel, though. I just don't think it's a big enough deal to go see a physician, well from what I feel anyway, cause what actually happened was plain crazy and dangerous but it's not like I did it on purpose, btw.

...neck. I suffered whiplash, but I don't wanna go to the hospital and get them collar thingies... I think it was a minor thing, though... Well according to wikipedia it at least. I only feel some minor pains and stuff when I move my head too abruptly but I haven't lost a lot of range of mobility and I certainly am not suffering insomnia or feeling weird pins sticking my hands and feet. So I'd say I'm ok, just a little bothered by the occasional ache. I THINK that by tomorrow I will almost have forgotten about it. But is there any special thing I could be doing to ensure I will heal fast? You know any homemade treatments? Thank you.

That's exactly what i feel sometimes. Like everyone's watching me... I SWEAR that 8 months ago I didnt' feel like that anymore. But now I've gone back to it...

Wow, that's so similar to my school. Most people are from around here, not me... And I saw that so many of them knew each other since like the first day of school too, so I'm pretty sure that many of them were high school buds. And I can't say that it would've been a much different experience anywhere else, cause some of my best friends were junior, so they're seniors right now in HS, and others just joined the marines or left the country. I'm not sayin that I want to be with them again, cause for that I'd have to find a time machine and that's just not possible. But I'm sayin, why can't I meet similar people like them, who got me? But how do you make friends when EVERYBODY says "oh, you'll be meeting the most people during the first week/semester! It's gonna be awesome" but it's really not like that for me at all? It's like I know it's too late, but then again, looking back, I did the best I could anyway or at least I can't change what I've already done. And I tried introducing myself to people, but they had this uninterested tone like they would only answer with short replies to a question and had their own friends I saw them with. I feel pretty alienated you know?

I can relate man... I walk alone all the time too and I used to go on friday nights downtown with like a group of friends, and it was awesome. I just don't feel like going anywhere by myself... Ideally, I should be out there. There's a party today in my school too, cause there's a game tomorrow night, but do I feel like going? Not really... I mean, it won't make much of a difference me sitting around by myself (and I KNOW nobody will want to talk to me, no girl will wanna approach me, it's not like it's happened in 18 years of my life anyway, so what's the point of going out if it's got the same results as sitting at home except I might actually have a horrible time thinking people are laughing at me and making fun of me. When I try to talk to them they make me feel like a loser, so I just wanna save all that trouble). So if I were you, I'd try not to stay in that place too late man... It sounds dangerous with an armed robbery and all...

I didn't get to ask the second girl out... I found out she was a grad student during our conversation, so I didn't think that it'd be a good idea... I dunno how old she is (I didn't ask cause it might be rude, I guess), but I'm guessing that being in gradschool she must be older than I am (many girls my year are older than me too, but it's not a very significant difference. I mean, we're talking about months or a year max. But a girl in gradschool PLUS she'll have different goals and whatnot). I talked to her for a good while and we kinda hung out, and she's nice and stuff, though, but I think we'll just be friends. I just... Life is so predictable, man. I knew that the "plans" I had made for tonight (if you call watching TV till reaching physical exhaustion from the lack of sleep a "plan") would be carried on. Anyway, since I don't even have any friends, and I have no clue and no direction about what to do to finally find a girl who won't reject me even when they apparently look like they wouldn't, I guess I'm gonna concentrate on making friends? Lol, that's a toughie too, cause I dunno how. Nobody gets me, and I feel like a loser, man...

And making new friends is HARD. Believe me, I'm already pretty much done with my first semester, which is when people are supposedly at their most sociable and when everybody makes the most friends... Not me. That's true, but sometimes it seems so hard...