[quote=Spacey47]Bench press is THE chest exercise.[/quote] Bench presses are good but chest presses (with dumbbells) are better. They work the same muscles as bench presses but also address the stabilizer muscles for a greater all around benefit.

Yes, your shoe size can definitely go down when you lose weight. I went down a full size myself. I don't know how many sizes you could change but I assume it has to do with how much weight you lose and how much you carry on your feet. Good luck!

Sounds like you didn't bake them long enough. Your oven temperature could be off.

No need to "report abuse" as that is meant for a completely different reason. I have had issues with things on the site in the past and just used the "contact" link at the bottom of the page. All of my issues were quickly handled, even if they couldn't always achieve the outcome I wanted - they are very good at responding to your input.

A lot. The emotional swings, the physical symptoms... all play into our food cravings, etc. Just be sure it's hormones and not something else... it's easy to blame hormones when something else could be to blame. Best to have it confirmed by a doctor.

I have been on this weight loss journey for nigh on as many years as I've been alive - well, for 36 of the 48 for sure. Being considered "overweight" my entire life (but looking back and thinking I was crazy to feel so bad at looking as good as I did at different weights that I now consider "goals"), I have been fighting the battles but never won the war. So why keep fighting? Why not give up and accept my fate? Why? Because life is all about living. And, like the infamous quote from my favorite movie (Shawshank Redemption) says, you either "get busy living, or get busy dying." So here I am. Living and fighting the battle. Learning from my mistakes. Learning from the experiences of others who are on the same path. And I really think I am making headway - changing my age old habits and really adjusting my lifestyle to one that is health conscious most of the time, where my bad choices aren't enough to cancel out all the good I've done. I'm certain I still have a long ways to go but I have gained inspiration along this journey. I don't think we're all destined to a life of struggle and failure where our weight is concerned. It's a process. It takes time. It isn't easy. But it can happen. Hang in there. You can do it.

Me in October 2007 at about 240 lbs (probably more because I stayed away from the scale when I was this heavy): [img][url=http://www.flickr.co... [url=http://www.flickr.com/pho... house pics 046[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/peo... on Flickr[/img] Me this past New Year's Eve at 160 lbs: [img][url=http://www.flickr.co... [url=http://www.flickr.com/pho... Years Eve 2012 011[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/peo... on Flickr[/img]

AppleRose... I am still trying to use the conscious eating principles and pairing it with my own intuition on what is healthy and good for me. With my weight training, I have to eat a good protein meal afterward and that is usually a one egg + four egg whites omelette with veggies. It is quite a lot of food even though it isn't high in calories so this is one instance where I sometimes eat beyond feeling full because I know I need the nutrients the meal provides. So, it's a balancing act for me.

I was assigned my trainer by the head of the department at my gym but lucked out and got a really good one. Do look for qualifications - some just have certificates in certain courses and a physical activity background but others (like mine) have university degrees in kinesiology so they have a better understanding of the body and how to best formulate a program. The other thing to consider is their personality and how it matches with your own. Initially, before you ever hit the gym, they should do a sit down with you and ask you lots of questions about your past history, your health, your goals - and give you the opportunity to ask questions, too. If you get a good vibe from your first meeting, give them a try. And, if after a few session you decide you aren't a match, don't be afraid to ask for someone else. Trainers cost good money and you want to make sure you get the most out of the experience. Also, you could ask other people at the gym for recommendations.

My trainer asked me to up my protein intake to aid in muscle formation so I started eating omelettes with 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg - depending on your egg size, you get about 21 g of protein for about 140 calories (plus whatever you add to it - i.e. veggies, oil, etc.).

Not all personal trainers have a college degree. Their credentials vary wildly from a few courses to a full on university degree in kinesiology and more. Unfortunately, not knowing what to expect, you can be conned into doing things that aren't exactly safe. Be glad that you are only hobbling around with some muscle pain. This will pass. It's important to listen to your body and voice your concerns when you are training. A good trainer will be able to tell when they are pushing you hard enough and when they need to push harder. Just chalk it up to a poor experience but don't let it turn you off the idea of a personal trainer altogether. A good one is worth their weight in gold and well worth searching for.

But it's interesting that they are saying that the multiple meals keep our insulin levels elevated - steady, yes, but elevated - and that makes us store more fat. So even snacks between meals can be responsible for this effect. And this actually makes sense when you think of how society has gone from a 3 square meals a day regimen to munching all the time (and on high calorie crap, too).

The title of this photo-journal doesn't really speak to the topic they cover. It's more about how lower or higher levels of insulin affect our weight. Interesting. But just further proves that nobody knows what they are talking about when it comes to weight loss. Every new discovery contradicts the last! http://www.vancouversun.com/he...

The factors at play here are your age, how much overweight you are, how long you've been overweight and heredity. Losing the weight slowly just gives your skin more time to shrink along with your size but it is only going to shrink to as much as it's going to shrink based on the aforementioned factors. Exercise doesn't help your skin to shrink but, if you do weight training, you will be able to fill the loose skin to some degree with the more attractive option: muscle.

Hummus!

A glass or two of red wine is said to be beneficial ;)

Because of your special needs with wider feet, different sizes and needing to make sure you can run comfortably, I wouldn't recommend your first purchase be from an online source. Check out a store like The Running Room or a similarly focused venue where they can assess your personal issues and recommend the right shoes. I started running at 225 lbs and had some issues at the beginning until I got the correct shoes. Turns out I over pronate and that was leading to knee troubles. I got shoes that have extra support on the inside of the foot and was good to go. They don't cost more than your regular off-the-rack upper end running shoes but they make all the difference. And once you know what type of shoe is best for you, you can order them online. Best of luck to you!

I hate treadmills - I only run outside. Bikes are okay, especially if you have joint issues, but they aren't a weight bearing exercise so their benefit is not as great as other types of equipment. If I had to choose a piece of equipment for cardio, an elliptical would be the best choice. We have all three at home - treadmill, bike and elliptical - but I prefer going to the gym and doing cardio classes, weight training with my personal trainer, and running outdoors. There are also lots of great workout DVDs that will get your heart pumping, are more fun than being on a machine, don't take up any space, and cost a lot less. Before I joined my gym, I really enjoyed doing the Turbo Jam series.

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Cardio burns more calories while you are doing it but weight lifting continues to burn calories after you finish exercising and increases your metabolism. On top of that, building muscle helps to define your body into a more pleasing shape. Starting off with light weights at home will get you started but, unfortunately, you will have to invest in some heavier weights and equipment in the not-to-distant future or go to a gym to continue to where it really starts to be beneficial.