LOL
Unfortunately, what firmus says is true. Women do get burnt out as well as burnt from all the weight loss BS. Eat less, Eat healthily, Move more. Simple and it works. Or to be even more blunt (surprising, yes?) If you do not move, do not eat.

Oh i'm so sorry you are suffering RR,i sincerely hope that you can find the right balance to suit you and help ease your pain.I often feel bloated and suffer what i think to be indigestion and heartburn.My brother is a ceaoliac,but really doesn't adapt his diet to restrict gluten.I'm wondering if perhaps i should get tested to see if i am ceaoliac too.I love eating freshly baked bread,still warm from the oven,just plain with nothing on it.So i really hope that i'm not gluten intolerant.

My interest would mostly be in a healthy diet.

I'm trying to feel better in my own skin :) This includes lose some, eating healthy and exercising. 8 weeks ago I concluded that I needed to lose at least 12 pounds to get to a healthy BMI of 25, 24 pounds if I'd want to be back at my former weight of about 3 years ago. So far I've lost 4.5 pounds and a dress-size. I keep a diary of what I eat exactly for about a month now. I do not really diet, I'm more concerned on getting healthy food and getting everything out of it that I should. I use a digital diary from the organization on food & health in Holland ("voedingscentrum") and I have "green lights" on what my food contains (fat, water, salt, vitamins, etc) accept a few:

So, what food is high in iron and selenium? These are red lights (Roxanne! ;)) so I get way too little of that (if numbers are of interest, my average now is: 9.3mg, 35mcg).

My kalium, vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid are on the low (3502mg, 711mcg, 1.7mcg, 290mcg). So any suggestions on what food to add to my diet?

What surprises me is that I hardly get enough fiber. I get around 20g a day and I really don't get how I should make that 28 (unless I use supplements, which I do occasionally). On the average: I drink breakfast substitute in the morning (contains 5g of fiber), I eat 4 slices of wholegrain bread for lunch and 1-2 pieces of fruit (mostly tangerines or a banana) and about 100g of brown rice, potatoes or wholeweat pasta in the evening with at least 160g of vegetables. Any ideas on how to add more fiber?

Ok,RedRoses i know that you can't tell me what i should do,but i weigh around 90kgs (180lb)My ideal weight is approx 75kgs(150lb)I am wanting to lose at least 10kg (5lb) to start,i don't want to lose too much weight straight away.I don't really watch what i eat,as i usually buy the cheaper cuts of meat and not alot of fruit and veg .I'm not a big water drinker either.I tend to eat alot of red meat,pasta and carbohydrates.I don't execise much but like walking, jogging and running although i haven't dond the last two for many years.I don't usually eat breakfast or lunch,my main meal is dinner.I graze during the day,not always on healthy food.I have been trying to eat more fruit ,yoghurt and salads,but my budget doesn't always allow it.Could you please suggest some things i could try.

[QUOTE=Ducy;265023]Ok first off I would like to make a few simple statemets.

I am not a doctor. I will not diagnose any health issues in this thread. Nor will I tell you what to do. Even something as simple as a sprained ankle...I WILL NOT tell you what to do to cure yourself or help. Although I have experienced several diverse injuries, I can merely state what I did to help myself.

When in doubt...ASK. there is not benefit to being unsure about an exercise or dietary strategy, and continueing or doing it anyways...I have seen shoulder tears in men who bench 500 whil warming up with 185lbs. Why? Because they felt like their form was bad but figure ill be fine.

I am NASM certified...for those who are unaware it is one of the top personal training certs offered and specializes in stability and training for more everyday benefit (as opposed to some certs that focus on high levels of fitness such as elite athletes)

I am not a dietician. I am studying nutritional science. I do "officially" know a good amount from my NASM cert. Any advice I give is just advice and in no way a "prescription" or anything of the like.

I am opening this thread up because in my last several visits I have read several threads in which improper advice was offered. Advice telling someone to try certain programs that could lead to injury. Advice recommending improper dieting tips. Advice that lead to a complete waste of time and ultimately this will lead to discouragement for your goals.

Now I do understand and expect criticism from people. And brandye if you read this I want you to know I am not going try to stick my hands in thinks I do not know. I am simply going to help people with their fitness goals because I do know that many people are embarassed of their bodies and wish to be better for them or their significant others.

If this thread dies so be it. I will check in on occassion to see if anything is posted.[/QUOTE]

Ducy, good idea, most don't know that more weight is gained or lost in the kitchen, the gym or workout brings it all together. Proper diet and exercise go together hand in hand, speaking of which, I'm on my way to the gym for arms and shoulders workout, no pain no gain doing some rehab work on some old injurys to get range of motion and strength back.

OK, Ducy, help is where people find it but stay away from discussing supplements or I shall be all over you.

Raunchy, first that comes to 198 pounds, 10 % more than stated for the Yanks here. There is exactly one way to lose weight: consume fewer calories than you burn. This can done in two ways: diet or exercise. It is preferable to do both. The biggest mistake people make is to start a crash diet AND overdo the exercise. End of program. Your idea of doing it slowly is good. You have found the ideal weight tables so you are near the dietary guidelines. All nations post them and they are more alike than different. Crash diets are useless and usually result in a loss after a few months but greater weight than at the beginning a year later.

There are some commercial operations that are actually quite effective. Both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig have international reach and there are likely local programs that are similar. BUT, the exercise does not come in a handy box.

At your weight, start with walking a mile in a half hour. Increase this over time to three miles in an hour. Then you will be on your own. If you can afford it, a personal trainer can help you get going and keep you out of the rain.

Red, until your doctor points these "deficiencies" out to you, stay away from supplements and simply eat normally. We do not even know what the levels of many of the trace elements should be and, too often, raising one lowers others. Many of them are affected by exercise. If you need to react to any of them such as folic acid if you become pregnant, the doctor will advise you. Green, leafy vegetables will address most of what you list. We Northern European have difficulty getting enough of these in winter but the tunnels in Slovenia are helping!

[QUOTE=Brandye;265028]
Red, until your doctor points these "deficiencies" out to you, stay away from supplements and simply eat normally. We do not even know what the levels of many of the trace elements should be and, too often, raising one lowers others. Many of them are affected by exercise. If you need to react to any of them such as folic acid if you become pregnant, the doctor will advise you. Green, leafy vegetables will address most of what you list. We Northern European have difficulty getting enough of these in winter but the tunnels in Slovenia are helping![/QUOTE]
Really? I didn't know that it's such a delicate balance in trace elements. I did know some activities could really cause you to "burn" a lot. Like being really upset burns a lot of vitamin C and then there's not much left for the rest of the body (I learned that last year ;)). The fibers are prescribed; first by the internist, but I did some switching over time in consultation with my physician to find those that work for me best (now it's psyllium+inuline). Though I'm not supposed to take them all the time, just when I don't feel ok (hence; occasionally ;)).

Green & leafy? Now that explains something... I'm supposed to stay away from (cold) lettuce-like stuff as a main course (only sidedish or in-between-meals). Apparently that stuff is rather heavy on your digestive system in larger quantities. So the larger quantities of green and leafy I get inside is when it's cooked prior in boiling water; spinach and such.

The diary-tool I didn't "just" chose; the same internist advised me a few years ago to use the specific tool as a diary cause she wanted to know what I ate on the regular. I've also used it as input at the allergist to determine possible foodallergies. They considered it one of the best diet-registration-tool available. I sometimes use it to check whether I'm still on the right track :)

Well, it was what I was advised... Warm and moist foods digest easier than cold and "tough" foods. So I can eat cooked spinach in larger quantities without troubles. It's funny cause it's one of the places where Ayurvedic principles and western medicine seem to think alike :) At the first step you can see it's tougher. Like you chew thoroughly on some lettuce and spit it out, than take a bite of some cooked vegetables and do the same. The difference is right in front of you; the latter is way more prior-processed and therefor easier on digestion. Now I know that digestion as a whole is a bit more complex, but his explanation made sense.

I've always had a stomach that was easily upset. First response as a child and teen to anything stressful was to vomit or stop eating and combine this with running around/sports/exercise, after which I could eat. Overall I seemed ok and the rest of my digestive system was able to handle this. But I have had a nasty bacteria-infection in my colon and kidneys a few years ago and my digestive system got very sensitive after that. They say I have IBS now, which is why I consider a healthy diet so important. I can't say I eat healthy every day... There certainly are days I eat a little more. And even more so days I eat less; these are the days I pay for most. But I try :)

What I found has worked the last 2-3 weeks was drinking lots of green tea makes me feel more energetic. And a cup of gingertea before lunch gets my appetite running :) I don't know if it's true, but it seems to contribute to weight loss too(?) In the first few weeks of january I didn't lose much weight, but did lose a dresssize. The past few weeks I see the scale working with me too...

Oh sorry Ducy,i didn't realise that you started this thread.I was looking at RedRoses post.Can you give me some advice based on what i posted above.

Thanks Ducy,i read what you posted above.And thanks to you Brandye too.I heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.So if i eat a small tub of low fat yoghurt,and substitute some orange juice for my morning caffeine hit. Then have a piece of fruit for snack,a healthy salad or sandwich for lunch,and a piece of lean meat and vegetables for dinner,would that do the trick.Plus i know i need to increase my water intake,and i also have a vitamin B12 deficiency which i have to have three monthly shots for.

[QUOTE=RedRoses;265063]Well, it was what I was advised... Warm and moist foods digest easier than cold and "tough" foods. So I can eat cooked spinach in larger quantities without troubles. It's funny cause it's one of the places where Ayurvedic principles and western medicine seem to think alike :) At the first step you can see it's tougher. Like you chew thoroughly on some lettuce and spit it out, than take a bite of some cooked vegetables and do the same. The difference is right in front of you; the latter is way more prior-processed and therefor easier on digestion. Now I know that digestion as a whole is a bit more complex, but his explanation made sense.

I've always had a stomach that was easily upset. First response as a child and teen to anything stressful was to vomit or stop eating and combine this with running around/sports/exercise, after which I could eat. Overall I seemed ok and the rest of my digestive system was able to handle this. But I have had a nasty bacteria-infection in my colon and kidneys a few years ago and my digestive system got very sensitive after that. They say I have IBS now, which is why I consider a healthy diet so important. I can't say I eat healthy every day... There certainly are days I eat a little more. And even more so days I eat less; these are the days I pay for most. But I try :)

What I found has worked the last 2-3 weeks was drinking lots of green tea makes me feel more energetic. And a cup of gingertea before lunch gets my appetite running :) I don't know if it's true, but it seems to contribute to weight loss too(?) In the first few weeks of january I didn't lose much weight, but did lose a dresssize. The past few weeks I see the scale working with me too...[/QUOTE]

Dietary issues are extremely important with IBS. Sometimes a simple change in diet can cause issues, you may want Brandye to review and advise you on this. My wife has IBS and I know that her diet to the letter is a must. Congrats on your weight loss, keep up the good work.

Studmuffin, thanx for the offer.

Ducy, I much agree with finding a personal diet. A diet is meant to make you feel better, not worse. And searching for the right alternatives is exactly what I'd like from a dietician (I'm consulting people in my environment for their experiences so I can pick a good one, reading my insurance policy, etc). But... a diet to feel healthy is something different than because you're not so healthy to start with...

Not to make myself look pathetic or complain about it, but I am constantly searching for the right balance. I am at times crawling up against the walls because I'm simply in pain. Usually at the times that are the most inconvenient. Like: waking up to terrible cramping as if someone has just hit me fullblown in my belly. This sometimes too happens at my job, during shopping, while I'm at a days out, in the train, etc. The worst is when doctors tell me I'll just need to live with it. I'll just won't!!! So I keep on searching and trying and suggesting medication, supplements, diet, etc. And in consultation with my physician, I hope I'll get there. And on that frabjous day I shall futterwacken vigorsly! ;):D My physician listens carefully and asks "what can I do for you?" and takes both my complains and suggestions seriously... It's a pitty he doesn't think "with" me... I do at times get a bit tired of figuring it all out on my own... I'm happy to have found him, though. It's much better than doctors that think "for" me, don't listen and speak to me like we're at Sesame Street :mad:

I'm sorry if this came out a bit bad or sarcastic... Today is just one of those days... Yes, I HAD plans for the weekend... :(

[QUOTE=Ducy;265066]
Green tea is actually a major hit right now. The catechlomes in the tea help boost metabolism and it is so high in antioxidants that the only thing better is black tea. Be careful though. Make sure its natural tea and not processed with a ton of junk. Things like snapple green tea are nowhere near as healthy as a fresh brewed cup.

I do not know if the ginger tea is the reason for your increased appetite. Be careful on some things. Its like people who brew a nice cup of white willow bark because it helps alleviate body aches and such. Yet they don't realize its basically a natural aspirin and is actually causing their stomach ulcers to bleed more or causing the light headednessn. (Like when they drink 2 cups cuz the first cup isn't helping enough[/QUOTE]

I drink a lot of tea, just because I like it. I get it at a little teashop. And for gingertea I slice fresh ginger. At work I do drink the Pickwick or YogiTea. Never thought much wrong of it, though I like the fresh brewed better :)

@Studmuffin: I'm thinking of asking my doc to refer me to a dietitian. After all; it's been years since anyone has reviewed my diet. And I never got a "to the letter" one anyways, more like guidelines. At that time, they thought it was just temporarily due to the infections and I'd become totally healthy again.

[QUOTE=Ducy;265264]I know a lot of people simply give guidelines because people have a tendency to be picky. I cannot stomach oatmel. The consitancy is revolting. But every diet plan I was ever given insisted I eat it. It wasn't until I learned that oatmeal is slow digesting, that I realized I could substitue a different slow digesting carb. Now ill have a sweet potato instead of oatmeal.

So by giving guidelines it gives people more room to fit their tastes.

Chicken, turkey, tuna...all great sources of lean protein. Gimme a tuna any day of the week. Yet many people hate it. So why write them a specific diet saying eat tuna. Then have them suffer when I can say 1 serving lean protein (chicken turkey tuna) and you can make your choice.[/QUOTE]

Diet means so many different things under one topic. IBS has to be controlled daily. The wrong seasoning on your food, tomatoes cooked into your meal..etc. My wife works in dietary at a nursing and rehab center, she has expert help right there on her team. Her diet lists the foods and how there prepaired that could cause issues. I refer to it as her foods to avoid list, and she watches it closely. My daughter-in-law also has IBS, she is a natural body builder and has won many times. Her diet is to the letter, every meal every day it's her life style. Each handles her health issue in a different way, but there both enjoying a healthy life style.

[QUOTE=RedRoses;265239]I drink a lot of tea, just because I like it. I get it at a little teashop. And for gingertea I slice fresh ginger. At work I do drink the Pickwick or YogiTea. Never thought much wrong of it, though I like the fresh brewed better :)

@Studmuffin: I'm thinking of asking my doc to refer me to a dietitian. After all; it's been years since anyone has reviewed my diet. And I never got a "to the letter" one anyways, more like guidelines. At that time, they thought it was just temporarily due to the infections and I'd become totally healthy again.[/QUOTE]

Red Roses it would be a wise thing to do. The more you learn the better off you will be in the long run. The day to day diet and healthy eating will give you the best results in your weight loss and energy. If you want to shoot me a pm and I'll answer any questions....

[QUOTE=Ducy;265274] Or is IBS the same for everyone. (The same foods bother everyone its not like some people who have issues eating spicy foods and some poeple have trouble eating salts or something like that)[/quote]No, not the same for everyone. Like: I quit milk for a long time cause they suggested it may be heavy on digesting, plus: probably not that good for sensitive airways. It supposedly creates more slimy substances. But turns out 1-2 glasses of semi-skimmed milk is great for me; esp at diner. And did much good for my nails as a bonus too, though I'll probably never have diva-nails LOL! ;) O, and I understand the liking for tuna very much :)

And thnx RG. I'm usually rather calm about this, but there just are times I get somewhat cranky about it. Hope you're ok and you'll get to keep enjoying your favorite food!

I've just discovered something cool! I drink premixed stuff with rose hip called Roosvicee (very popular among kids in Holland, and uhmmm... also some grown kids ;)) This is also available as a syrup. The food-diary I use only has the syrup listed, so I figured I just fill out that with water and results would be the same. Scrutinizing the package yesterday; the premix has all these added vitamins and the syrup doesn't. Meaning that 1 glass of premix contains 30% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B12, C and E :eek: Apparently; I get way more vitamins than I thought! :)

Another sneaky thing; I've always been in aw about men and women that claim to be at the gym for 5 days a week or more. But I've recently discovered that these people that live near the citycenter just as I do, drive and don't bike! So when I go to the gym, to work, visit a friend, go out shopping, get my groceries, etc, I bike. Which gives me about 20-30 minutes biking a day. Off course my bf picks me up at times and I'm really no bike-fanatic, I simply use it for transport. I just think it's cheating when some do claim to be a gymfanatic, when others just accomplish the same exercise in daily life and don't even call it "exercise" :rolleyes:

There is little danger of overdosing on vitamins. A & K are the main culprits because they are fat soluble. The water soluble simply pass out with urine. D, another fat soluble, is not a problem because most people are a bit deficient and there have been recent discoveries about D being needed to metabolize other vitamins and minerals.

You are correct that exercise is exercise. I still want my 150 miles a week!

Thank you Brandye for the extra info on vitamins!

And actually, Ducy, I wasn't even referring to people that really work their butts off at the gym. After such a hard work-out, you may just allow yourself to call a cab! Guess the worst are those that drive to the gym and sit on one of those bikes to do their thing... and I don't mean spinning ;) And by "those" I do not mean those with a medical condition or poor stamina. Kudos to them trying to strengthen their bodies! And I don't mean those who just enjoy themselves biking in there. Happy for them they've found a suitable way to exercise!

It's those that come barging into the sauna loudly and say: "Aaaargh, time for desert!!! Yep, worked sooo hard today. 5th time I'm in this week. How about you?". When I answer honestly it's my 2nd time and I've just swam for an hour, he will top my efforts, making mine seem like nothing; "Swimming aye? Yes, quite the waterrat myself, got to do at least 10 miles to call it a day!" I never pay much attention to others exercising. But I had this brainwave as I unmistakeably recognized this guy as I've seen him many times checking in his parking card, parading through the gym, sitting on a bike for 20 minutes at not much of a pace and this is the xxx time he's barged into the sauna and says about the same everytime. I've been at this gym for years and so far I only found them annoying bragging, but turns out some brag over nothing! By paying a little attention, I've discovered he's just one of quite a few that do this. I enjoy a good chat, but I'll not waste more than one breath on guys like him. So all I do is say while smiling "I'm enjoying myself very much, thank you" and close my eyes :)

[SIZE="4">Health benefits[/SIZE]
As far as I know (and others are welcome to correct me if I'm wrong!) going to the sauna has quite a few benefits:

-Detoxing: sweating out toxins, indeed. This inner cleansing-effect is even greater because you also replace that fluid by drinking a lot. Peeing a lot too :)
-Cleaning out your pores, making your skin very clean and refreshed.
-Temperature management: your body learns to deal with temperature differences in a more efficient way. By visiting a sauna regularly you could also "learn" your body how to sweat better. I used to be one of those people that goes purple but hardly sweating ;) The temperature difference also tends to make your skin more firm.
-improves blood circulation
-Strengthens the immunesystem; since you create an artificial fever-like state, which activates it.
-Prevents skinproblems such as (chronic) eczema, especially when combined with a good scrubbing. Don't scrub the parts where the eczema is already there. You could try honey (put it on while in the sauna in a little amount)
-Beneficial for your airways, because the perfusion of mucus-tissue is far greater than normal, it relaxes the muscletissue and "opens up" your airways. Especially when you visit a steamroom, a sauna with high humidity and not too high temperatur (about 80 C) or those that use rocksalt, this also provides for cleansing your airways.
-Relieves stress, makes you very relaxed and you will pay attention to your body in a loving way. Listening to it carefully on how far to go. This will put you more back into your body and less inside your head.
-Soothes muscle-ache and painful joints the heat of a traditional sauna soothes, the detoxing helps prevent muscle-aches. A specific sauna with "infrared" is particularly helpful with this, because it works differently from a traditional sauna; the heat reaches far deeper into the flesh (up to a few inches), which works soothing on muscles and joints and stimulates blood circulation. It is also said the heat could stimulate your body to start:
-Burning fat. The traditional does not make you lose much weight (don't get too excited about weighing yourself before and after; that's mainly fluids you've just lost!) I'm not sure whether it's a myth on how infrared makes you burn calories. But it's surely advertised a lot!

In Finland traditionally a bride takes a sauna before her wedding. A woman, according to them, looks her best and most radiant a few hours after the sauna! Look in the mirror and see for yourself!!! :)

[SIZE="4">Guidelines for a healthy sauna-experience[/SIZE]
There are a few things people sometimes do in sauna's that is not so beneficial; leaving them with head-aches or dizziness. So please; follow guidelines as provided in any good sauna. Since I regularly visit sauna's for over 10 years now, here are a few:

Time is on your side! With traditional sauna's it's recommended to not be in there longer than 15 minutes. That does not mean you have to be there the full 15 minutes. It is not a competition. Listen to your body. You may chose the position you like; lying or sitting up. When sitting; it is preferable to have your legs at the same bench; this will more evenly warm you. When you're lying down, sit up for the last 2 minutes. Relax in between rounds; don't rush. Take a book or magazine with you if you'd like!

Cool down! No; I mean really; cool down. After the sauna; allow your airways to cool by walking outside. Cool your skin with cold water; preferably starting with your right leg and arm, head, to the left leg and arm, bringing the water closer to your torso and do front and back. Really; don't forget your head! Sit calmly for a few minutes, preferably outside. If there's a pluge-bath, it's really a great thing to try for a good cool-off. When you take a hot footbath after (which is recommendable), you should be feeling your feet tingle a bit. That's one sign you cooled off properly :)

Drink, drink, drink a lot! Just to give a bit of an idea; I drink about 500-750 ml of water after each round. While sitting outside and in the foottub. It's best to drink after the sauna. Drinking in the sauna may confuse your senses of hot and cold, making it less easy to listen to your body carefully (and your body to respond properly to the heat).

The naked truth it's something some people fear when going; having to go nude! Well actually; that's the best way to go. It is more hygienic, because else all the sweat would get into your bathingsuit. And the fabric prevents your pores from cleansing, from you warming up and cooling down properly. Some like to keep there towel wrapped around them. Which is much better than a bathingsuit, but still not much preferable... My best advice would be to get over your shame and think of yourself as if you're in Eden's Garden. People in the sauna don't stare; everyone's naked happily. I've met the most respectful people there; not even glimpsing down. To emphasize; I was still in high school when I started visiting sauna's; I didn't even dare to change in the girl's locker room at school, hated going to beaches and didn't even like walking past a bar-terrace, feeling watched. But I did run around happily naked in the sauna. If you're really not convinced still; an option would be to bring a white cotton sheet, cut it to a decent size beforehand. This is thin material; allowing your skin to breath. I've been in Czech and they actually use these to cover their bodies and I was much surprised about the good results!

Infrared sauna's a little note on these, since they are highly popular, but really: a different kind of sauna. The way it heats your body is different, as mentioned above; the heat reaches far deeper into the flesh (up to a few inches). So: this sauna does not require a cold shower, but one that is lukewarm. Or; sit in a relax-room for at least 20 minutes ((little above roomtemperature). Swimming in a preheated pool will do too (not too hot), for hygiene-reasons; first take a short lukewarm shower before diving in.

I'm a 5 day gym rat if you want to call it that. I have a 8 day work out and then it starts over. This allows me to target each muscle twice during the workout pattern two different ways. Then you see the men and women who come in and do the same things day after day. Then they sit around talking about where their going to have lunch. The same ones who wash down their meal with a diet pop, thinking thats going to help. The kitchen is where you lose or gain weight, the gym brings it together.

So I've recently discovered two things about abs;

First; coughing your lungs out makes your abs go whoop-di-do. I now know why I had such strong abs while I was still very asthmatic ;) But I wouldn't recommend the coughing, I've just noticed and isolated the exact movement my abs make. And now, I simply do that movement; while sitting at my job behind the desk for instance. My abs are coming back to life!

Second; the yoga position Utkatasana (also known as the chair-position) can really help to define your waistline. This will only be achieved when you "seat" yourself in this position, raise your arms and your chest, then pull your tailbone towards your bellybutton. According to my yoga-teacher; this is actually the way it should be performed, but many forget the last aspect. Since I've discovered this; I see a definite change! :)

So I now measure 41-32-41 inches (bust, waste, hips). Which admittedly doesn't make me a model to say the least; I'm probably considered a giant by some :o But my shape has been redefined from straight back to a tall hour glass figure. Now that's pretty cool! :)

A question; what sort of exercise do you people do to slim your thighs? My outer-thighs are rock-solid, but my inner thighs are flopsy-gelly, if you know what I mean. If anyone by any chance knows a yoga-position, that would be sweet! But any other type of exercise is much welcome too!

i wanted to post that this new diet craze with eating gluten free products for dieting not because of a medical condition, is back firing on people. turns out that many of these gluten free process foods are higher in calories compared to regular processed foods. also they have less fiber in them, and fiber is an important key to being satisfied after eating. example would be a serving of gluten free waffles are 270 calories while the wheat waffles are 140 calories. i'm sure ducy can break it down further if needed.

that reminds me of a german i knew RR. his abs were so strong from flying air crafts that he could set the ab machine to the max amount of weight and crunch for 10-15 minutes straight.

to your question RR - i don't know any yoga sorry but i have some other ideas. the exercise the comes to mind when wanting to focus on the inner thigh is a weighted machine, where you squeeze your legs together. swimming is very good leg work out, breast stroke is a great inner leg workout. i also recommend buying some flippers. the more water you move the more muscle your body requires.

if you dont have access to a pool or can't swim wall squats, leg press with feet out wider than shoulder width, lunges are all fundamental leg excises. also plyometrics are very good as well.

I love swimming!!! I'm a true waterbaby :) I do so frequently. Flippers I don't have; had them. Since I have these weak ankles, I gave them away. I do go to a gym, but I'm not much of a fan of the fitness machines; becomes boring so quickly... I also feel really silly with my legs spreading and closing :o Funny, since there are a lot of awkward yoga-poses I have no problem with...

I do standing strength type of exercises such as warrior-poses (Virabhadrasana) that I think are comparable to the lunges you describe. Just found this website that gives an overview of yoga-poses by anatomical focus: [url=http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/finder/anatomical_focus/thighs]Yoga Journal - Poses: Anatomical Focus - Thighs So if any yoga-fanatics read this, feel free to point out some you like and/or would recommend!

Those plyometrics seem nice (had never heard that term before). I'm actually starting running-training soon. Bought me a good pair of running shoes which are matched to my feet (with the scans and all). They make me feel like I'm flying instead of running! Perhaps I could combine this with a few of those exercises. All I need now is a good sportsbra and I'm ready to go. Tried without but that is really too much juggly-jiggling:rolleyes: It appears a lot harder to get me a measured sportsbra than anything else... Which I don't understand, since it's possible with shoes and I even have measured sports swimsuits for years (which is why I know about the body-shape-thing btw). How hard can it be! :(

yeah the plyometrics are really good. they are starting to become more well known. a lot of athletes do these exercises like when i was playing football(american style not soccer.) they are meant to be done as quick as possible but with control. as you see the more advanced you get the chance you have of falling when jumping over or on a bench or box.

im of course no expert since im a guy, but i have heard fro some big breasted women i know wear two sports bras since apparently it is harder to find a perfect fit.

ducy you don't have issues with getting blisters with those Vibrams? and I'm wondering if i have poor running skills. i always get shin pain and lower calf fatigue when running but always thought that because I'm a heavier guy. us lineman didn't run as much in practice. when people wear those vibrams they take smaller strides don't they?

Wow, I think I'm going to have to read your post again Ducy, cause some of the terms mentioned, I just can't get a picture with yet. When I can't figure it out, I'll post again with questions. Thanx for all the advice! I'm a total newbie when it comes to running, so could definitely use it.

I guess my desire for a clean cut fitting shoe started ever since I went hiking with a bad fitting shoe. I love hiking, but this became a terror to finish. Since then, I won't buy till I find a hiking-shoe that fits me perfectly. So as I had totally worn down my old sports-shoes (actually: basketball-shoes bought as a student, which I used for aerobics and had learned to compensate any misfitting with thick tennis socks:rolleyes:), I thought I'd pay a bit more attention to the matching of the new ones. This was when I was first introduced to this scan and a little questionnaire. I never walked in and out of a store with the perfect shoes that easily! :) They are everything I need for dancing and aerobics, but as I tried running on a treadmill with these, it felt like my feet didn't roll from toe to heel smoothly. So based on the footscan, he picked a few pairs that would most likely match. I had to run on it and he'd check the way I ran. His motto is that shoes that fit right, will make you run right naturally. I could feel it immediately that these would be the ones. They're running-shoes of Saucony (never heard of it before, I don't care; it fits! :)). And these just feel like my hiking shoes, only when running; they make me go from one step to the next fluently and I forget I'm wearing shoes.

Other than that; I love walking bare foot or with socks on (I get cold easily). I walk without shoes at home, even kick them off at work and off course I practice yoga barefoot. Yoga has much strengthened my feet and ankles. So I can relate to your experience, Ducy! It actually feels like I stand firmer on the ground. Perhaps it's the same as with bra's; once I stopped wearing them my breast became self-supporting within a few weeks and firmer than they had ever been before. I think it's good to allow your body to support itself! Though at rougher times, support may be needed. And if I do, I'd like to have a perfect fit :)

Wow, this is an amazing thread. Thanks, peeps, for the education.

Sorry to hear of your IBS, RR. I hope it eases up for you, hun.
What is your experience with Probiotics which are said to help?

Brandye - what is your opinion of Probiotics?

Sorry if i missed some info while reading. I eat the same I always have and I use to be under weight and I have worked in a freezer for a year it is great exercise becuase I speed walk back and forth for 6 hours and I do some basic streches(I know this has to be spelled wrong?) And with all this extra exercise I have gained 25lbs and can't loose it. Maybe due to getting older? And bcp? I don't really eat a lot. What would you suggest? Food, exercise, anything. How ofter do you go to the suana? I know its probably hard to suggest things with lityle info about me. I'm 21 5'11" I weigh 155lbs. I wouldn't say I'm fat and I don't want a six pack, just to be lean. What kinda foods would you think is a healthy balance, i do not know much about protiens, carbs, and vitamins. Also what are some good daily exercises and for belly fat? Last question, I never have had energy, I'm not anemic and I sleep good. So what tea do you suggest, you said brewed, what brand. Sorry for bad spelling and grammar, really tired.

yeah ducy the skin pulls away in a bubble form over time is what im talking about. doing the dead lifts will pull the skin off immediately. an example of what i am thinking of is i walked a lot in sandals one day and the material rubbing back and forth made the skin pull away over a few days, then took a couple weeks for the spot of new skin to fill in.

Ducy, it's not much confusing, just sports-jargon I'm not familiar with in English ;) And about the bra's; there was research a year or two ago in which they asked women to lose their bra's and the breasts became self-supporting and more healthy. They basically advised women to support when needed; sports, pregnancy, breastfeeding, physical work, etc, other than that: nature seems perfectly capable to do it's job. If I retrieve it with a link, I'll post. Also; I believe it's recommended to at least sleep without a bra or any tight fitting clothing, so that the skin can breath and the underlying tissue has the chance to let fluids flow through freely and do some detoxing.

EEK, thanx for your kind post :) And yes, I do use probiotics; yakult to be specific. It has also become apparent that one kind works better than the other with me (my doc says that's normal). Some actually seem to make it worse. I do think the yakult helps. I sometimes take an extra shot at the end of a rough day. I'm not entirely sure of the benefits, cause there are so many variables that influence my complaints. It seems to be such a delicate balance of food and exercise and a regulated schedule. Anything out of the ordinary in my daily life or especially something stressful could upset my bowels. Plus; I have several allergies and sensitivities, some could aggravate when combined with certain foods (such as: eating apples while birches are blooming with pollen). Or simply the fact I have a reaction to said pollen, could trigger my immunesystem in such a way it becomes overly active and also indirectly influences my bowels and skin (or so I'm told).

I have heard some people use enema's that really rebalance them and lessen their IBS. There are even enema's with probiotics to get the bacteria at the the place they need to be directly. I've never tried them, it kinda freaks me out to let so much water run into that sensitive area. I'm afraid I'll get terrible cramping and such... or that I'll get very ill afterward. Perhaps it's silly that I fear it, I don't know... Any experiences/opinions?

I would defnitely like to hear Brandye's opinion on probiotics too! :)

Thanks for all the info. Like I said u don't feel fat.. yet lol but I would love to prevent it and be healthy, my mom has copd, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, she had 8 stints. and a difibulator and its all hereditary so I really want to step my game up lol