Introduction...Glad to be here...

[BeachBuff]

Hey, everybody!
I have been lurking around for a while. Finally joined a couple of weeks ago. I love it here. Everyone just cracks me up, plus I am learning a bunch.
I work out at home instead of a gym, so this is giving me that sense of community I was missing. Glad you are all out there!
I have endless questions, but am trying to research on my own and having fun doing it. I will eventually need to ask some questions, I am sure, but until then I just wanted you all to know I was here.
I am in my mid-30s. Always athleticly built, but have had problems with weight loss and gain due to psychotropic medications for the treatment of Bipolar Disorder, for the past 3 years they have been changing my meds every 6 months and with each change I either gain a lot, or loose a lot. It is playing havoc with the bod. So, finally decided to get back in to weight lifting (haven't since high school) and cardio more often, plus really watch my diet. I have to get some control over this before it drives me insane. Heeheehee
Oh, I am obsessed/addicted to the feeling I get when I work out with my weights. Man, I had forgotten after all these years how good it feels. Makes me almost feel young again. What a RUSH.
Hang Ten,

 

[2Shy]

Hi, Beach Buff! You came to the right place. There's something about the weights, isn't there?

30s isn't old! I'm 43!

~2 Shy

 

[Nonerz]

Welcome girlie! By all means, ask away! We love getting questions from newbies to the board!

 

[BeachBuff]

That's not what I read. LOL Something about logging in 1,000 hours of watching time before opening my big keyboard on the forum. LOL
They will be coming, the questions I mean, just been busy researching and eating. I have become such a pig since I started lifting. Is this normal? I went from 1-3 meals a day to 4-6 meals a day. Dinner time!!

 

[Sassy69]

Hi BeachBuff! Welcome aboard! Congrats on your re-entry to the gym world!

If you are eating 4-6 SMALL meals w/ the right combinations of food (clean!) then you are not being a pig -- you are just distributing your refueling across the day in a more efficient manner. The typical person eats 3 meals / day, but your body processes macronutrients in something like the following:

- carbs - 1 hr
- proteins - 1-2 hrs
- fats - 2-3 hrs

So its no wonder people are looking around for a snack in the middle of the morning or the afternoon. Better to spread your meals across the whole day every 2-3 hours. The you aren't hungry & you are providing fuel for your body just when it runs out of the previous meal. Plus if you are adding some additional physical activity that you don't usually do, you are increasing your body's need for fuel (though not to be confused w/ an excuse to throw in more junk!)

 

[JJFigure]

Welcome!

 

[BeachBuff]

Thank you, women, for the welcomes. Sassy, I am eating clean. Plenty of frozen and fresh vegetables and lean meats usually grilled. Now that it is Winter I have also been making a bunch of stews with veggies and lean meats. I don't do junk. I do have a soft spot for cheese, but have cut back to just a little every few days.
I am taking Flax seed pills, is that enough? I can not tolerate Fish oil pills, I think I took them for too many years and have a little allergy to something in them. I used to drink flax seed oil, but just can't stomach it anymore.
I drink soy twice a day and sometimes mix whey in with it. I love soy. I drink Whole Foods 365 brand, it has no carbs. It is great stuff and very inexpensive.
I use olive oil instead of butter or margarine with just about everything. I even tried a little olive oil and garlic powder on my microwave baked yams last night as an alternative to butter. It was awesome. My roomate thought so too. That is a keeper on the replacing bad fat with good fat BB plan!!
I lift 6 days a week and try to do cardio as often as possible, but have really not been motivated to do so lately. I have got to pull myself away from this damn computer today and go jog. Then I need to make it a habit to do speed walking/jogging or cycling atleast 4 times a week. Right? From what I understand that and diet are the only way I am going to loose this middle I have.
BB

 

[Nonerz]

I lift 6 days a week and try to do cardio as often as possible, but have really not been motivated to do so lately. I have got to pull myself away from this damn computer today and go jog. Then I need to make it a habit to do speed walking/jogging or cycling atleast 4 times a week. Right? From what I understand that and diet are the only way I am going to loose this middle I have.
BB

sounds like you could be overtraining...

From my understanding, diet is the biggest piece of the puzzle as far as leaning out goes. If you're training with intensity, 6 days is too much! BTW, do you do your cardio before or after training...or at another time?

 

[BrickGirl]

Hey! I'm 30, that ain't bad Welcome aboard! have a blast and Happy Halloween

 

[velvett]

WELCOME!