The Workout and Win Stuff thread

[Valicious 572]

We all see fashions and styles that we would love to have ourselves, but style can come with considerable work sometimes.  The goal of this thread is to promote exercise, getting in shape, constructive feedback, and provided the motivation needed to achieve the healthy look you’ve been wanting.

Did I mention you can win free VK stuff?  Because you totally can. 

 

How it works

 

Make a post with your fitness goal and where you are now.  Pictures of what you are shooting for can help others visualize what you want.  (Pictures of yourself are completely optional)

Post updates!  What have you been doing for your workouts?  Have you noticed any positive changes since you’ve started?  Everyone who posts at least one update each week will get one entry into a drawing at the end of the month.  More details on the drawing and prize below.

Want a second entry each week into the monthly prize drawing?  Those who provide regular constructive feedback for others will receive another entry into the monthly contest.  Feedback should be polite, but it should also be critical.  Feedback that only consists of “Great job!” doesn’t really contribute much, suggestions for improvement and areas to work on are examples of great feedback.

Lastly, we are using a bit of an honor system here.  If you didn’t do a workout, don’t post and say that you did.  We’re all trying to improve and support each other, let’s keep things positive.

 

Now for the part we’ve been waiting for.  The FREE STUFF!

 

A winner will be randomly chosen at the end of each month using a random number generator.  Once chosen, I’ll look at the last.fm profile of the winner to determine which prize they get.

THIS MONTH’S PRIZE IS A CD DONATED BY RAREZHUT.

Seriously check Rarezhut out (www.rarezhut.net) for all the CDs, cassettes, DVDs, and VHS you have a hard time finding elsewhere.  They ship internationally, provide sample clips of the stuff they sell on their website, and have a great “fuzzy” search system so you can find what you are looking for.  Possibly the best part is that they provide a CD with digital rips (using professional-grade equipment no less) of all VHS and Cassettes that you buy since not everyone has a VCR or cassette deck.  Plus it’s run by our very own Biopanda XD

 

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I've tried several different workout trackers and logs in the past, but my favorite by far is Fitocracy.  It has hundreds of exercises in its database, so adding them is a breeze.  The biggest feature (and my favorite) is that is makes working out into a game.  You log your workouts, get points, level up, complete quests such as running or biking a certain distance, and it's all free.  There's the social aspect too.  You can join groups, friend other Fitocrats, and even challenge others to duels.  There's an optional paid membership called "Hero mode" and individual coaching, but the free features are still more than amazing

https://www.fitocracy.com/

 

Our very own MH group on Fitocracy

https://www.fitocracy.com/group/19063/?about

[doombox 4421]

Yay more motivations for working out!

 

I guess I'll get things started in here. I started working out a few times a week last spring. I ended up losing about 30lbs by eating better (I cut down on a lot of excess pasta and bread) and the work outs. Nothing too strenuous. Mostly work out videos on youtube (Jillian Michaels, Billy Blanks... some random yoga for dummies), I took a break over the holidays but it's time to get started again. I'd like to lose another 20lbs this year. 

 

I'm not really sure how people will critique my updates because I'll probably just be in talking about losses and gains. Maybe a little help meal planning, since I'm not really hardcore about things. I just know last year I used an app (lose it!) and the forum there really kept me motivated talking to other people about the ups and downs. So maybe talking the people here and seeing their inspirations will have a similar effect. 

[Valicious 572]

Dang ender, you beat me to the first reply   What individual exercises are you doing, and are there any specific fitness goals you have or areas you want to target?

 

I used to work out more than was probably healthy, like 5-6 hours/day.  I stopped about 2 years ago due to overwhelming life crap (bad excuse, I know), and haven't done much of anything until a couple weeks ago.  The major wake up call was when the things I physically could no longer do kept piling up, but the slap-to-the-face was when I could no longer get in and out of my wheelchair by myself anymore.  I have a degenerative neuromuscular disorder that impairs the motor signals sent along the nerves to the muscles, and over time the muscles atrophy until they can't be used.  Exercise helps stave off the weakening and hold it at bay.  I've been rolling with the punches the last couple years, but it's time to start punching back.

As for my workout, it's a bit challenging to describe as the individual exercising aren't the common preexisting ones.  I can't do push ups or lift weights, so I had to design my own routine based on the muscle groups I wanted to focus on.  I recorded a video of my routine a few years back, and that's what's below.

 

My fitness goals for the immediate future is to slim down some, but mainly to build muscle strength and tone.  I can't post my starting weight because even I don't know.  I used to have a large scale I could just sit on, but the screen broke.

 

-------------To be added to the OP

I've tried several different workout trackers and logs in the past, but my favorite by far is Fitocracy.  It has hundreds of exercises in its database, so adding them is a breeze.  The biggest feature (and my favorite) is that is makes working out into a game.  You log your workouts, get points, level up, complete quests such as running or biking a certain distance, and it's all free.  There's the social aspect too.  You can join groups, friend other Fitocrats, and even challenge others to duels.  There's an optional paid membership called "Hero mode" and individual coaching, but the free features are still more than amazing.

www.fitocracy.com

 

I'll be making an MH group on there too.

[doombox 4421]

Dang ender, you beat me to the first reply   What individual exercises are you doing, and are there any specific fitness goals you have or areas you want to target?

Ahh so sorry! XD I thought the thread was ready for a post. OTL

For exercises it's a lot of tae-bo and kick boxing inspired work outs. I did taekwondo when I was young and I still like doing a lot of kicking and punching for working out, it just makes me feel strong, I guess. lol. I do a little yoga too, but I'm not flexible -at all- so it's very very basic stuff.

My goal is basically just being a little slimmer. My day job is pretty physical so I feel fairly strong. My problem was I quit smoking a couple of years ago, and food kind of became a problem. My food intake is a lot better now, so it's mainly just trying to get the rest of the weight I gained back off. 

 

That fitocracy sounds really cool! I'll definitely have to check it out. 

[Mihenno 4195]

My goal is to get rid of the fat around my stomach.  

I'm currently 167lbs and 5ft 11in. I have little to no muscle though. While I would love to pack on muscle, I'm more concerned about having a flat stomach. 

I actually started my diet today. I was told that losing the fat around your stomach mainly comes from eating better so I went grocery shopping to get shit. I WAS going to the gym but then winter happened and it's like 0 degrees outside and the snow keeps piling up. So I was thinking of just doing situps and crunches at home. I don't really know if it'll do anything, but it's better than doing nothing at all. 

 

ALSO, I have this problem with my face. Like it gets swollen and I don't understand why. It's so slight, but I notice it and so do other people when I point it out. It's the weirdest thing. I can't find anything about it online and I've been to this specialist but was told that my salivary glands are bigger than normal and the saliva gets trapped(?) and I need to massage my mouth periodically for it to drain. For some reason though I don't think that's it. Like there's gotta be something else because that only works occasionally. I've read things saying it's lack of vitamins, lack of water, etc. So I give these things a try but nothing fixes it. Then I read something online about it having to do with eating and the amount you eat and it mentioned something about an eating disorder - but I can't remember exactly what it said. It made me think though because I was 210lbs 2 years ago and I had stopped eating as much as I was due to medication I was on, so I dropped 40lbs or so which is kinda where I'm at now and I wonder if maybe that has to do with it? If anyone knows anything about swollen faces, please help me. LOL

 

Anyways, I'm gonna look into this Fitocracy app and see how my diet goes for a week with abdominal exercises. 

[fictioninhope 355]

I am so excited for this thread. I hope we can all succeed in our goals! ;u;

I'm currently 161-164lbs depending on the day at 5'8" tall. I'd really like to lose the extra squish around my stomach, ass and thighs. My goal weight is in the 125-135lb area. I'm on some medication that makes me gain weight and I have really bad food habits. I've had a few times over the last year where I was really good about eating better(in terms of smaller portion sizes and trying to cut back on calories and soda) and running and/or walking every day but I'd inevitably lose motivation and quit. I'm going to try to find time to go for a walk or run at least 3 times a week as soon as I shake this horrible cold I got from work and settle into a new work/school schedule. Would really like to get a membership at the YMCA that's close to my house since it has a pool but it's kind of expensive compared to some gyms in town. u__u

I've used myfitnesspal in the past and I'd start off really good with it but would eventually stop keeping track of things after about a week. Currently use MapMyRun when I go for walks/runs to keep track of distance and time and have a cheap-o HRM(that doesn't sync up to anything because it's a 20 dollar piece of shit). I'm currently waiting to have some extra money so I can purchase an activity tracker. Debating on if I want the fitbit charge or charge HR, haven't seen any reviews on how accurate the HRM is on the charge HR yet. Definitely gonna check out fitocracy in the next week or so!


Anyone have any suggestions for super easy quick meal plans for someone who is about to have next to no time to prepare things three days a week that doesn't involve eating leftovers of the same thing more than twice a week?

[nullmoon 784]

This is a cool idea, and I'm not even in it for the free stuff! I was pretty scrawny at the start of last year so I started lifting weights. It's almost been a full year and since then I've actually developed pecs and muscle definition. In particular lighting, I have a 4 pack but I still have a bit of pooch

 

My goal for this year is to grow stronger. I've been lifting weights mostly for hypertrophy but this year I just want to be able to lift heavy shit. At the same time I also want to be stronger in general, so I'm doing daily calesthenics to increase the amount of pull ups and push ups I can do. If anyone else is looking to do the same, I strongly recommend Greyskull LP. I've just started it and it pretty much enables hypertrophy and strength gains without working out for hours on end. Plus it's really convenient (I've just being doing it from home).

 

I've done quite a bit of research over the past year on weight training, effective exercises and fat loss so if anyone wants any information or advice, I'll be more than happy to help.

[nullmoon 784]

So I was thinking of just doing situps and crunches at home. I don't really know if it'll do anything, but it's better than doing nothing at all. 

 

If you have any weights, or anything heavy for that matter, try doing weighted crunches. They'll work much better than tons of regular crunches and will help to train your abs as a muscle (if you want definition that is). The key to abs is mostly a good diet (lots of vegetables, lots of water, no/way less sugar). I've been eating fairly well over the past month (pretty much just cut out chocolate, artificial junk, and ate more vegetables) and now I actually have definition and the fat has reduced. Cardio also helps (you can do some killer HIIT exercises at home and they take up less than half an hour of your time) but diet is the key. Hope this helps!

[nullmoon 784]

running and/or walking every day but I'd inevitably lose motivation and quit. I'm going to try to find time to go for a walk or run at least 3 times a week as soon as I shake this horrible cold I got from work and settle into a new work/school schedule. Would really like to get a membership at the YMCA that's close to my house since it has a pool but it's kind of expensive compared to some gyms in town. u__u

Anyone have any suggestions for super easy quick meal plans for someone who is about to have next to no time to prepare things three days a week that doesn't involve eating leftovers of the same thing more than twice a week?

 

I would recommend trying HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) at home if you want to save some time and money. You can do it in the comfort of your own home and it usually takes less than half an hour. They're intense and you have to put in a lot of work, but due to the shock it gives your body, you will continue to burn calories even after you've worked out. This can sometimes last up to a day or two, so in conjunction with eating less crud you'll see results fairly swifty.

 

In regards to food, maybe cook loads of things in advance? Maybe prepare loads of vegetables and distribute them evenly throughout the week with different types of carbs and protein? So Monday you could have vegetables with rice and tuna, Tuesday you could have vegetables with pasta and chicken etc. I highly recommend roasting the shit out of red peppers and courgettes; they taste incredible.

[Valicious 572]

I just started taking my preworkout supplement mix again, and holy balls it makes a difference in motivation, focus, and endurance.  My normal routine consists of "sets" of 50 of each of the exercises I posted in the video further up.  My absolute limit prior to today was two of those sets of 50, with a 15-20 minute break between each set.  My workout today consisted of FOUR sets, with a mere 90 second or so break between sets.  I still feel like I want to keep going, and that everything so far has just been a warmup, but I don't want to overextend myself and regret it tomorrow.  

My supplement cocktail consisted of a bunch of different powders whose names might SOUND kinda scary, but a lot of them are found in the big brand name workout powders you see at GNC etc.  I just buy the individual ingredients because it's cheap, and I can control exactly what and how much of each I'm taking.

Whey Protein Isolate

Your muscles need protein, and you need even more protein to build muscle.

Creatine

The king of the powders. It works by increasing levels of creatine phosphate in your muscles, which means you will regenerate ATP faster, which in practical terms means being able regain strength faster between sets (i.e. being able to do three sets with 135lbs at 8, 7, 7 reps compared to 8, 5, 3 for example) which in turn leads to gaining strength at a somewhat faster rate.

Caffiene

Pretty self-explanatory, it gives you energy.  Caffeine works by delaying the breakdown of cAMP in your brain. As a result it usually takes about half an hour for you to feel the benefits as the cAMP (cyclical adenosine monophosphate or whatever) has to take some time to build up in that thick skull of yours

Tyrosine

A wild amino acid that's also a key raw material for such wild neurotransmitters as dopamine, epinephrine, norepeniphrine, and... I think that's it actually. But this is a key powder for extending your workouts, as it will cause you to run out of epinephrine slower and your energy medallions will last longer. In other words, it helps to prevent you from burning out during intense workouts

DL-Phenylalanine

WARNING: PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE. (Some people are allergic to this) This is a great amino acid powder. Like tyrosine, it's hilariously inexpensive and is a great addition to your powder cocktail. It's kind of weird in that's a precursor to tyrosine, but it has different effects when you eat it. Most importantly, it's the precursor to phenylethylamine, a key brain chemical that has such beneficial effects as improving your mood and making you feel more energetic.

My postworkout drink consists of just one thing

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs):

A borderline magical powder that has astounding properties for recovery and muscle building (supported by both science and anecdote). Most people agree that taking it post-workout with your carbs is the best idea; I usually blast 10-20 grams post workout with good results. You can also try such techniques as sipping it throughout the day, or taking it during cardio, or during your workout, or whatever. Some key points:

-Buy a bulk unflavored powder and mix it with crystal light or my favorite, the walmart brand fake crystal light.

-BCAAs are "hydrophobic" which means they don't really mix with water, but if you shake your water/BCAA mixture vigorously a few times it will mix anyway.

When I don't take this, I am sore and feel like Death the next day. When I do take this, I feel awesome and ready to workout.

[nullmoon 784]

 My normal routine consists of "sets" of 50 of each of the exercises I posted in the video further up

 

I noticed in a previous post you wanted to build muscle; 50 reps is waaaaaay too high! Generally, people aim for 3-5 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle growth) and 15-20 for endurance/tone. It might be worth adjusting the weight in order to fall into the desired rep scheme.

 

Your cocktail sounds incredible; you must be huge!

[allisapp 303]

I haven't had much of motivation for working out... well, ever. I like cycling, and last summer I was doing it mainly for the fun, and ended up cycling ~50km per week. I hit a bit of slight depression during the summer and gained a bit of weight, but for the past couple of weeks I have been trying to get my weight back to what it was by running about five kilometers per day. (Four times a week)

 

I don't like going to gym, and because of my working schedule, I find it hard to find motivation to do anything but lazy around. But! My goal is to lose 10kg of weight. Wish me luck. o/

[Valicious 572]

I haven't had much of motivation for working out... well, ever. I like cycling, and last summer I was doing it mainly for the fun, and ended up cycling ~50km per week. I hit a bit of slight depression during the summer and gained a bit of weight, but for the past couple of weeks I have been trying to get my weight back to what it was by running about five kilometers per day. (Four times a week)

 

I don't like going to gym, and because of my working schedule, I find it hard to find motivation to do anything but lazy around. But! My goal is to lose 10kg of weight. Wish me luck. o/

You should definitely check out Fitocracy then. For me, earning the points from exercising became motivation by itself because I wanted to level up and keep my spot on the leaderboards.

Good luck!

[Valicious 572]

This week's almost over, last chance to get your updates in and get your weekly entry into the drawing!  (Remember, one update/week is the minimum)

Obviously working out is the goal, but eating healthy is important too.  What steps have you been taking to eat healthier?

[fictioninhope 355]

I've been doing a bit better with my eating habits the last week or so. I've drastically cut back on the amount of soda I drink, trying to substitute water or tea in it's place. I still occasionally eat junk but I'm doing a hell of a lot better with my portion control. Where I used to sit and eat an entire bag of mini reeses I've been allowing myself to eat two and then put the bag away for the rest of the day. I believe a serving size on a pizza is usually 2 slices? For me it was at minimum half of the pizza, sometimes the entire pizza. So I'm definitely trying to cut back to 3 slices at most and putting the rest in containers for more meals. Been trying to take healthier lunches with me to work but it's not easy to have healthy/better-for-me meals, 30 minutes isn't much time to eat when you're notoriously slow at eating. u__u But I am trying my best! Got a nice spring mix salad w/ cucumber and tomatoes made for my work meal today, with sides of green olives and a pink lady apple. Will probably take a bit of sharp cheddar and sliced deli-style turkey with me as well for some protein.

I haven't started exercising yet since I'm only through week one of school and haven't felt I've really settled into a routine yet to make time for daily walks. Soon tho!

This little guy is gonna be my "faceclaim" for progress posts because I'm not comfortable taking pictures of myself and posting them here. He still doesn't have a name so I am taking suggestions! c: My progress photos will be 100% taken on my phone, if I take photos during my walks to prove that I am in fact outside etc they might also have instagram filters on them and be directly linked from my instagram. I will try to have the little pink giraffe in as many photos as possible to prove that it is in fact me taking the photos.

I started out my "MUST GET HEALTHIER" task pushing 165 lbs. I don't have photographic proof of it which is probably better for my self esteem because fuck, knowing I'm that heavy really hurts me. Decided to hop on the scale this morning after not having weighed myself in at least 5 days and was pleasantly surprised at what it told me!


Talk about excited! I haven't been this much under 160lbs since I moved back home in March!

[allisapp 303]

I have to use 10mg of either coconut oil or olive oil with my lunch and supper. The third option is nuts, but I am allergic to those. And I can't seem to stomach the oils at all. Does anyone know what else I could use?

[Biopanda 2675]

What are you trying to take the oils for? Coconut oil can mix pretty well with other things because of it's flavor, but I can't say the same for olive oil. I used to make a high-energy/hunger-delaying drink which involved blending together a cup of coffee with 1 Tbs grass-fed butter(kerrygold's unsalted is great) and 1 Tbs coconut oil. It'd give me a huge boost of energy and keep my hunger satiated for 3-4 hours or so.

[allisapp 303]

Because I am not eating much grease/fat during this diet, so I will get that from the oil.  Anyways, I got an answer from my sister! Rapeseed oil doesn't taste like anything, so if I put a bit of salt (which I need to eat a lot too) into it, I can eat it with my food!

 

Also, if you have problems with your posture and/or shoulders, use kettlebell. It looks stupid (imo), but it's really effective. It has already helped me! (yaay)

[Biopanda 2675]

Ahh okay Well if you still want to mix it up other ways, you can melt together some dark chocolate and mix in coconut oil(and a bit of sugarfree sweetener if you like) and pour it into ice trays to freeze. You'll end up with little chocolate "fat bombs" which taste great and get your daily fat intake out of the way. It can only be done with coconut oil though, due to how it acts at cold temperatures.

[allisapp 303]

Sadly I have really strict diet, so can't eat chocolate. 8<

[Valicious 572]

OP/Contest updates!

I slightly adjusted the way contest entries are earned. Rather than a person having to post every week to earn one entry for the month, instead they will earn a maximum of one entry/week as long as they post that week. Second entries earned by providing feedback to others follow the same system. This encourages regular activity among people. The OP has been modified to reflect this change.

I also created a MH group on Fitocracy! There's an option to hold challenges among group members, and I may just do that in the future with the winner getting an additional entry or something.

https://www.fitocracy.com/group/19063/?about

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Time for my midweek update!

I've only been able to work out Tuesday and Wednesday so far this week, but I can tell I'm definitely making progress in building strength and endurance.

Tuesday:

I did two sets of 50 of each of my wheelchair exercises. (Video is posted in thread above or click here

Wednesday:

I did 250 Frog Kicks on each leg

100 Leg Sweeps on each leg (see the exercises in that vid where I'm on the floor)

200 Bench Dips

I think I'm going to start alternating between chair exercise days and frog kick/leg sweep/dips days. My plan is to add crunches to my routine on any day I can fit them in. The weight of gravity/my body is enough for now, but I'm hoping to add wrist/ankle weights in the future.

[MaikoMizu 167]

Currently I'm 5'8 ½ but when I went to another doctor to get my height measured they said I was 5’9? And I’m currently 116 pounds according to my physical that I took 2 weeks ago. My metabolism is fast and I've been skinny for most of my life so far. I'd like to be around 124 or 126 at max to be a healthy weight. According to my family I’m of a “beanstalk” body build, tall and lanky. Some people see me as petite. 

 

As far as my eating, I’d say it’s pretty bad but better from when I was younger. I really like salty foods and sweets but I’ve been dodging those foods lately. I do however eat a lot of meat, I love meat, steak, chicken strips, hamburgers, you name it. For vegetables there aren’t that much, I eat carrots, salads and broccoli, sometimes cauliflower. Greens, asparagus for the most part at dinner, corn too.  Also I try and stay away from the food at work because it’s not exactly the “healthiest” since its fast food.

 

Working out so far could be a lot better but we do have a gym at the college and at home there are dumbbells, a trampoline and treadmill. I wonder if I’ll be able to go to the gym at college with my schedule of 9-4, it’s around a 30 minute drive but as some people say, “If you want the goal, you’ll find time to spare”.  Plus there’s a lot of ice still left around the house. I’m also kind of picky when it comes to eating certain things, few dairy products. The fruits I eat are usually, apples, grapes, kiwi, oranges and tangerines. I don’t mind running or walking since most people say I have the body for it. I did cross country for my senior year in high school, wasn’t too bad. I just wished I could have pushed my body to do better.  I mainly have 2 meals a day instead of three by the way (current).

 

I need to put on muscle even if it’s a small amount, abs wouldn’t hurt either. I’m definitely going to put in work if only I could formulate a plan to fit within my schedule and work so that it never gets too complex. Better breakfasts too, that’s something I could improve on. Maybe breakfast smoothies? Let me know if there's anything I need to add. 

[fictioninhope 355]

Be careful with red meats because they are harder for the body to digest even tho they taste soooo yummy. Cutting back on salt is also good, especially for your blood pressure and keeping plaque in your veins at bay! Do you happen to like nuts? Almonds, cashews and pistachios are really good for you. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day cause it helps jumpstart your metabolism so better breakfast is definitely a good idea. Smoothies are a good option, maybe supplement them with protein powders to add a little extra oomph to them? If you do go for walks/runs, you might incorporate a couple of 2lb weights with you, not sure if ankle or wrist would be better though depending on which set of muscles you want to work the most?



I have not been good about this healthy thing lately. School and work have me super stressed out. I recently lost a coworker who was one of my morning cashiers so now I'm being demoted to cashier, which is killer on my joints. By the time I leave work I'm in so much pain I can hardly walk so that coupled with school has me not wanting to exercise at all. I have managed to stay in the 158lb area since my last update which is better than shooting back to 165lbs but I'd like to see more progress eventually. I did get out to the YMCA near my house last week and talked to them about memberships so hopefully in the next week or so I'll get back out there and actually sign up. I didn't finalize it when I was there because we were going to try to get a discounted rate for both my mom and I since she is a senior and we are both low income but mom decided it wasn't something she could do right now so it's just me again lol. I'd really like to start swimming at least twice a week once I do get joined at the YMCA.

 

I managed to get one 3.21 mile walk in on the 19th when I didn't have school cause of MLK day and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The only nice days we've had since I had work and school and couldn't enjoy a nice walk. :c

My food habits haven't changed since last update either. My mom did check my blood pressure a week or two ago and it was pretty high so I've been trying to cut back on how much salt I add to food. Which is a lot. I really like salt. I'm the kind of person who will pour some salt into their hand and eat it. So this whole less salt thing is gonna be a challenge but I'm determined to make it work. I don't need any heart issues on top of all of my other issues. XD

[Valicious 572]

Personal Update:

I have not done any exercises at all this week. My right knee started giving me a lot of problems on Monday, and I had to go into urgent care at the hospital on Wednesday. I found out what was wrong (a buildup of fluid has shifted the joint out of alignment), and I have an Orthopedic appointment later this month to hopefully fix it. I’m really hoping I can devise a lighter exercise routine in the meantime. My left knee has started to hurt more in the same way as the right knee now, when it rains it pours I guess.

-----------------

MaikoMizu:

Like Hope said, nuts are a good source of good fats and protein. I went through a similar situation when I was in college, I was around 100lbs and needed a healthy way to gain some weight. (I’m 6’) You ideally want foods high in monosaturated fats. Avocado is a great source of healthy fats, and goes great on sandwiches and burgers and even by itself with a pinch of salt. A great recipe that I discovered is just avocado and some cocoa, thoroughly blend or mix it and you’ve got some great chocolate pudding. (Biopanda and I both tried this, it is indistinguishable from the more unhealthy stuff.)

Breakfast smoothies are a great idea. I used to make these with blueberries or strawberries or whatever I had on hand at the time. Add some whole milk if you want to add some calories and fat to it. There are a few bad fats out there as was mentioned, but fats in foods are not a bad thing by any means. You start to get into trouble when fats are combined with lots of carbohydrates, this causes an insulin response and can lead to diabetes in extreme cases.

As for exercises, I would focus more on strength training than aerobic if you are trying to gain weight. Things like crunches and high-resistance exercises will help. Look into creatine powder, this will help in the muscle gain department a lot.

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[Valicious 572]

It is the end of the month, and you know what that means…
Time for the prize drawing sponsored by http://www.rarezhut.net! Feeding your addiction with rare and not-so-rare CDs, DVDs, VHS, and more.

As stated before, each person can gain one entry each week for posting updates/goals, and one additional entry for providing constructive feedback to others. Biopanda and I have removed ourselves from the running. (He owns Rarezhut, and I am operating the contest.)
Week 1 (Jan 5 – Jan 10)
ender-ender: 1
Mi’ihen: 1
fictioninhope: 1
Aoi Mochi: 2
Allisapp: 1
Week 2 (Jan 11 – Jan 17)
Fictioninhope: 1
Week 3 (Jan 18 – Jan 24)
Allisapp: 2
Week 4 (Jan 25 – Jan 31)
MaikoMizu: 1
Fictioninhope: 2
TOTALS: 12 total entries, A random number generator will be used to pick a winner.  (www.random.org)
Ender-ender: 1 (Wins if number 1 is picked)
Mi’ihen: 1 (wins if number 2 is picked)
Fictioninhope: 4 (wins if numbers 3, 4, 5, or 6 are picked)
Aoi Mochi: 2 (wins if numbers 7 or 8 are picked)
Allisapp: 3 (wins is numbers 9, 10, or 11 are picked)
MaikoMizu: 1 (wins if number 12 is picked)

*hits Randomize button*