Better Body Goals-Accountability Thread

Nikki Sharp has some good guidelines for detoxing and eating healthily - which will help any body shape. http://www.staysharpbestrong.com/
Sophie Guidolin also has some good guidelines - and a body to be envious of http://sophieguidolin.com.au/
The Sinus Survival Guide is also a good read and echoes all of the healthy eating journals.

Three big things I changed: No Dairy produce, No Breads / Yeast and trying hard to cut out refined sugars (or added sugars). Im still eating as much as before but also enjoying 'Rainbow' meals with multicoloured fruits, veg, salads and yes meat and fish (but the quantity is lower).

In reality eating healthily and exercising the core and upper body will have an influence. The best core strengthening is to lay on your back and lift the legs - whilst keeping the stomach in. Slow controlled situps also work - the aim is to be controlled with the movements otherwise the wrong muscle groups are used. Doing Yoga will help you regain flexibility as over training the abs will be detrimental to the elegance of tail and back...

Certainly all these aspects helped me - and the bloating I used get regularly has gone. Indeed my stomach almost disappeared whilst my weight stayed a consistent 60kg (1m74).

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Originally Posted by Golden Pearl

I thought Karkarotte is doing the squats to increase the bottom? If the gluteus maximus increases, that would increase the entire hip/but region. So this is a good thing right? Not something she would want to go away the way I understand it Deep blue. Congratulations on the progress Karkarotte!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoU2xJQnqBc
so for female you multiply your hip measurement by 0.7 and that is your ideal waist measurement according to these scientists.

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conversely measure your waist and divide it by 0.7 for your ideal hip measurement (female formula)

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Originally Posted by Golden Pearl

I thought Karkarotte is doing the squats to increase the bottom? If the gluteus maximus increases, that would increase the entire hip/but region. So this is a good thing right? Not something she would want to go away the way I understand it Deep blue. Congratulations on the progress Karkarotte!.

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Oh, I'm so sorry if I missed that that was her goal. I'll be more careful in the future about reading the earlier posts.

I'm actually looking for a video to show me squats to lift and just define my glutes. I in no way want a larger bum. But if I lose the fat and tone the muscle, it's pretty simple and I should end up where I want to be with it.

I really like my natural curves- even at my fittest, I have them. But to me, natural means it's not covered in unhealthy, undeveloped muscle and fat.

I did find a cool free workout app. I'm going to try the squats on it. But not tonight... my bum is so sore, today was the first day I managed to totally keep up with my Buns of Steel dvd. lol

Im really not sure if that is her goal or not deep blue. That's why I put so many question marks in my post. I tried to find her initial post stating her goals and I could not find it either.

I've been lifting weights, doing squats and abs exercises for like a million years ;) It's not that.

I really don't want my hips to be bigger than 38". They're 39 atm. My waist is somewhere between 28.5-29. I'd rather it be down to 27.

It's not going to be instant, just keep at it. You need the cardio with the muscle training in order to really burn through the fat and let the shapes you're working on toning and building up really show.

Oh, I've been doing lots of weightlifting and cardio since I was a teenager. I'm an insanely active person. That's not part of my better body goal. The only thing I changed was my diet to half raw. I lost about 3-4lbs, but gained half an inch in my hips. That was what confused me lol

I went down to the beach this weekend, and in all the unpacking and such, I slacked off on my workouts (including squats). Heading to the resort gym/pool now. Will take photos later.

This video helped me see what I was doing wrong with squats.
http://youtu.be/aPYCiuiB4PA

I did 45, and had to stop because my breathing went to hell, by virtue of the movements themselves. But in that time I felt more in my quads and latissimus dorsi than anywhere else. I'm almost certain that I'm doing it totally correctly. I just expected to feel more in the glutes.

I will work up to more. I'm going to attempt to do more every day, and still do my usual workout three times a week, for now.

I have an idea. I will give one of you guys all the fat off my body that I don't want. Then one of you can just lose it for me! :D lol agghhh I think my problem is that I'm all malnutritioned or whatever haha I'm really lacking nutrients and vitamins and blah dee blah. I have a poor diet and probably have low iron (anemia runs in the family) so I'm just tired all the time. It doesn't even matter how much sleep I get. I've always been a tired person. I caught up with my squats, and have been meaning to take my hula hoop in the backyard, but it's been so freaking hot! Plus, I'm obsessing over Halloween costume-making right now haha

Also, I had a HungryMan for dinner. I am ashamed. But it was that, fast food, or starve. Or delicious sweets that I shouldn't be eating lol

You'd be surprised how affordable fruits, veggies and lean meats are compared to box meals. I used to eat mostly TV dinners too, and spent $10 more on groceries.

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Originally Posted by sydthefairebrat

I have an idea. I will give one of you guys all the fat off my body that I don't want. Then one of you can just lose it for me! :D lol agghhh I think my problem is that I'm all malnutritioned or whatever haha I'm really lacking nutrients and vitamins and blah dee blah. I have a poor diet and probably have low iron (anemia runs in the family) so I'm just tired all the time. It doesn't even matter how much sleep I get. I've always been a tired person. I caught up with my squats, and have been meaning to take my hula hoop in the backyard, but it's been so freaking hot! Plus, I'm obsessing over Halloween costume-making right now haha

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If you can go to a doc and ask for a blood test to tell you what nutrients you're low on, it's really helpful. A lot of people have no idea they're low in vitamin D, for instance. But low D can make you feel tired all the time, and it's a hormone precursor, so being low can effect so much of your life. It turns out it's really common. I shouldn't be low in D, I'm in San Diego and walk everywhere, but I do get low in it. So I take it in pill form because it makes such a difference in the way I feel.

And yeah, anemia, too. It runs in my family. Everyone is anemic to some degree, no matter what they do- except for me. When I'm 100% raw vegan I don't have to take iron because I got it from all the food I was eating. But I'm don't eat as much raw now, so I take Floradix (Edit- I take their Floravital, because it's vegan as I am. :p). It's expensive but the BEST iron, and one of a few my body will absorb. It was recommended when I was pregnant, and it's amazing how fast you can feel the diff.

A lot of caffeine in your diet will also steal your iron, btw. Caffeine... one of the scariest legal addiction there is when it comes to what it does to our blood and bones, but no one thinks about it.

You can slowly bring better nutrition into your diet. You don't even have to be exrteme. Just dropping processed foods to begin with will make a difference.

I have to double post because I am SO stoked right now. Just did my workout- a little late, I overslept, so I did it with fans pointing at me- and for the first time... I don't know how long, I did not have to take my inhaler before, during, or after. This kind of progress is amazing. These things pay off. As long as I can avoid smokers on the street and such, I should continue on this path of stronger breathing. Woohoo!

Exercise does amazing things to the human body. Ever since I started swimming and rollerblading more, my blood pressure is down around 89/56 and my resting pulse is under 60. I'm going to live forever :P

Okay, better body. Here are my goals.
Asleep by 10:30 so that I can be up at 6:30 to go lap swimming (If you see me on her later than 9:45, tell me to go to bed, no matter what thread I'm in.)
Sit-ups every day, regardless of my swim workout.
I want to drop 3 inches off my waist and tighten up my "kangaroo pouch", as I like to call it. What I've got going on is extra skin that never shrank back to size after Lochlan was born, but instead gathered fat into it and now hangs down quite unpleasantly.
I am currently 35 inches at the waist and 46 at the hips. My goal is for my waist to be small enough that a properly-fitting tail will have no way to slide down or gap.

Wow, to see what everyone is doing is really inspiring :) I told myself that I would go to the gym very frequently in the summer, but I guess I have unintentionally put it off with community service events keeping me so busy :P
So, I accept the Squat challenge!
Never heard of it before, but it looks like an awesome start to getting me where I need to be! With college just around the corner, I want to make sure I have a nice routine down so that I don't gain the freshman 15 ;)
Good luck to everyone, I hope you achieve your goals!

I gained the freshman 15 xD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlH4pK7eHY
Woman thrown out of pool for wearing a bikini with a full figure.
I think we should all protest this. I think it is ridiculous!!
She looks GREAT are they all NUTS or what??? She should sue and be paid megabucks.

What hypocrites. That's one thing that drives me crazy is hypocritical behavior. I would love to have that woman's body. She's just the way I wan't to look. Except for her hair. I look terrible as a blond.

Ok I have not been on mernetwork in quite some time but I'm back! I saw this thread and got super excited. For the past 2 months I have been working on getting more fit. Im 13 years old, almost 5 feet 6 inches tall and I weigh about 100 pounds. My stomach has been packing on a few pounds I have noticed, and while my family says it's just skin, I'm determined to have rock hard abs! (I'm starting to get a 4 pack, but only starting!) I found a great youtube channel a few days ago and she posts great workouts that I LOVE. I want to join in on this fitness adventure, and I will post my starting picture next Monday if you are ok with me joining in. :)

Hey, Y'a'll. Lochlan is napping so I took the opportunity to do 3 reps of 10 sit-ups and 2 reps of 10 push-ups. I know it's not a lot, but the sit-ups are one rep better than yesterday. Slow and steady, Dot. Slow and steady.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone on here use the myfitnesspal calorie counter app?
my username on it is mermaiddottie.

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Arianna

Ok I have not been on mernetwork in quite some time but I'm back! I saw this thread and got super excited. For the past 2 months I have been working on getting more fit. Im 13 years old, almost 5 feet 6 inches tall and I weigh about 100 pounds. My stomach has been packing on a few pounds I have noticed, and while my family says it's just skin, I'm determined to have rock hard abs! (I'm starting to get a 4 pack, but only starting!) I found a great youtube channel a few days ago and she posts great workouts that I LOVE. I want to join in on this fitness adventure, and I will post my starting picture next Monday if you are ok with me joining in. :)

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Go, you! When I was 13, at 5'4", I was about 95, but no muscles. I think it's great you're taking care of your physique. I've noticed rock hard abs are getting really popular for women, and I'm so glad that for once a trend is a good one.

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Dottie

Hey, Y'a'll. Lochlan is napping so I took the opportunity to do 3 reps of 10 sit-ups and 2 reps of 10 push-ups. I know it's not a lot, but the sit-ups are one rep better than yesterday. Slow and steady, Dot. Slow and steady.

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Totally, I'm amazed when I get through 9 push ups. ha. I can't wait til I can go lower, as in closer to the ground. And til I can do one with my legs straight on not bent. I want my arms to be strong and free from those upper arm flaps so many people get. I also do tricep presses, and those are easier for me.

Right now, though, I'm bummed. My building has to turn the water off tomorrow from 8am to 5pm. I don't think I'll get my workout in if I can't have a shower after. Unless I wake up REALLY early for it... oh man I just talked myself into getting up REALLY early. :p

Let's see if I can do that. Working out and sweating and the sore muscles are far easier for me than waking up super early is.

Oh and ps- does anyone feel the result of squats in their glutes when doing them? I feel like I must be doing something wrong still, because I don't feel a dang thing in my actual glutes, just the quads and lattisimi dorsi.

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Originally Posted by deepblue

Oh and ps- does anyone feel the result of squats in their glutes when doing them? I feel like I must be doing something wrong still, because I don't feel a dang thing in my actual glutes, just the quads and lattisimi dorsi.

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Yeah, and the trembling thighs that come afterward...haha but yeah, I'm not really feeling it in the glutes..maybe we aren't going down far enough?
I did my 105 today, and 10 not-so-great push ups, but, hey. It's a start. Tomorrow I also start a 4 week sit up challenge Dx But today....I enjoyed my McDonald's (: haha

I did a few squats yesterday and I felt pain in my quadraceps right above my knee. I felt nothing in my but or thighs. If you are also feeling pain in the latissimus dorsi which is where your hourglass is supposed to taper I do not think this exercise will produce a desired aesthetic result. The videos on youtube CLAIM squats will bulk your butt muscles or the muscles it is working on. I do NOT want the muscles that deep blue is referring to bulked or it will make me look worse
See my current body photo below
Attachment 12446
See where I am tapered and delicate looking just above the knee. I feel pain there now from the exercise. I do NOT want to be bulky there or my leg will just look big and not sexy as it does now.
See where I am tapered on my back at the hourglass.... I feel pain there now too! And I do not need to be bulked there either or i will just look straight up and down with no curve.
I feel zero pain in my butt muscles where the squats are supposed to cause bulking up. So I have severe concerns that this exercise will produce effect that are totally opposite to a sexy feminine form. I would like to do some exercise, but I do not want to feel bulking up in my tapered legs above the knees, nor do I want to feel bulking up in the area of the hourglass indention. So I wonder if these squats are better for men.

I am down from 235 to 185. I have noticed to get the belly fat and the love handles to disappear it is 80% diet and 20% cardio. If you cut bread, sugar, pasta, soda and diary out of your diet you will be amazed at how fast that section will disappear. The hardest part is the mental challenge to give it up. If you want it bad enough you can get it!

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Originally Posted by Kakarotte

French Merman, NEVER lose that butt!

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TROO FAX

/will try to get photos of self soon

I'm doing my best to be in better shape too! Morticia took my measurements when I first went to her for a tail and I was 38-28-42. I'm now down to 38-24-39, which is more acceptable but I still have a bit of a tummy I don't much care for.

I've cut a lot of snacking out of my diet, reduced my soda intact and replaced a lot of the snacks I would normally eat with high protein nuts and yogurts. So far, so good! Also ramped up my exercise to a 30 minute walk/jog, mostly uphill, every day after work and swimming twice a week for an hour. I still have more work to do to get rid of this belly, but I'm trying!

well I have gone on a diet. I eat only salads now. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, ham maybe boiled eggs, cheese, and salad dressing and that's it. As far as exercise, I think I will stick to more lengthening pilates and walking instead of risking messing up my form with bulking squats.

I am a little concerned about all this though and resent doing this. I am doing this really just to follow others. Personally I like my body the way it is and would only reduce my tummy a little bit if anything. I love being voluptuous and in my mind it is the ideal female form for myself. I really do not think I will look better if I am a thinner version of myself. I actually view each of my curves that I have achieved as an accomplishment as opposed to something that needs to be reduced. I can not comprehend the comments of some women that think they will look better with their hips smaller or their boobs smaller. If anything it would make one look less womanly and more childlike. I really do not understand the women who want to look muscular or more similar to male physiques. It is as if those women do not appreciate their own female form and want to make it either prepubescent or masculine... totally confusing to me.:rolleyes:

As an example I would prefer by far to have the figure on the left below. However, the media is telling us we should want to look like the figure on the right below. I think the figure on the right looks ill while the one on the left looks more pleasant. What are your thoughts?
Attachment 12447Attachment 12448

This morning, instead of going to the pool (I kinda felt icky) I turned on youtube and did a 20 minute cardio dance workout.
The burn, its so goooooood..... I'll do my reps when boy hits it for a nap again.

For those that say they aren't feeling it in the butt, make sure you are going slow and keep your back as straight as possible. Make sure you are also going deep enough. The form is everything, and sometimes its just hard to master :P

Golden Pearl, if you don't want to be a twig, for gods sake don't be a twig! The only reason the waif look got popular is - and you'll laugh - because smaller measurements means saving money in material costs in runway shows. Sounds like bunk to me. As for why a woman would want to be muscular, I work out like a man because, otherwise, my genes would cause me to be overweight. Also i just really enjoy weightlifting and the Michaelangelesque figure it gives me. I have some friends who can just do cardio, or nothing, and be a good weight. I'm not one of them. Thankfully I haven't lost my curves and won't. Be careful eating only salads. Eating too few calories will actually cause you to gain weight, ironically :)

as for the two models...they both look on the underweight side to me, but if I had to choose, it'd be the left.

Karkarotte, thanks for the laugh about the fabric in the fashion industry. I am just feeling a little ticked from eating just lettuce I wish I was eating all the delicious foods I love instead :doh:

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Originally Posted by Golden Pearl

Personally I like my body the way it is and would only reduce my tummy a little bit if anything. I love being voluptuous and in my mind it is the ideal female form for myself. I really do not think I will look better if I am a thinner version of myself. I actually view each of my curves that I have achieved as an accomplishment as opposed to something that needs to be reduced. I can not comprehend the comments of some women that think they will look better with their hips smaller or their boobs smaller. If anything it would make one look less womanly and more childlike. I really do not understand the women who want to look muscular or more similar to male physiques. It is as if those women do not appreciate their own female form and want to make it either prepubescent or masculine... totally confusing to me.:rolleyes:

As an example I would prefer by far to have the figure on the left below. However, the media is telling us we should want to look like the figure on the right below. I think the figure on the right looks ill while the one on the left looks more pleasant. What are your thoughts?

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First- if you like your body the way it is, then stick with it the way it is. Why on earth would you go along with what others have? All our body types are different, we all have an individual best, and it can't be based on what someone else looks like.

As for the images? My sister is very thin- no curves, tiny breasts, a natural size 0- and let me tell you, she cannot gain weight no matter WHAT she does. AND she SHOULD NOT have to. Having four children hasn't changed it, either. And she walks around, this brilliant woman and good mom, who hates her own body, tries not to let the comments of others get to her but they do. People all over the web saying, "Men don't like sticks" and saying she's not a real woman. This body judgement that everyone gives to everyone else has got to stop. It breaks my heart to see her affected, and her daughter has the same body and she's trying to make sure her daughter knows she is still a real woman and there's nothing wrong with her natural body. NOTHING. Small boobs? No problem. Huge? No problem.

I think the best thing for everyone is to: Eat what you feel is healthiest for you. Get the shape you want. Don't compare yourself to others.

Me? I'm 5'4", and at my thinnest I still have curves. If I was going to compare myself and try to not have those curves, I would have to starve myself. And I would STILL be curvy. It's utter bollocks! I love my curves, and I love fitness, and I will have the body I want. And when people call me skinny bitch, like they have in the past, I'll look them in the eye, and tell them, "I'm not skinny. I'm fit." And leave the bitch to them.

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Originally Posted by MermaidBrittany

For those that say they aren't feeling it in the butt, make sure you are going slow and keep your back as straight as possible. Make sure you are also going deep enough. The form is everything, and sometimes its just hard to master :P

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Okay, I'll keep at it with that in mind. :)

Hmm. I feel the need to respond to this too.

I like my body more now that I've put more work into it. I feel better, I look better, it feels right to me to be this size. The reason why I posted my measurements was just to show that I had lost inches, not necessarily weight. I think my weight has actually stayed the same since I've been trading fat for muscle. I'd like to lose a bit more of my tummy but there ain't no way, gurl that I'm losing my bubble butt. I love my butt. I'm more comfortable with myself now than I've ever been my entire life.

My sister is a rail, no breasts, no butt, very androgynous. She eats whatever she wants and never gains a pound. And she likes that, more power to her! Do I wish I had her figure? PFF NO cuz... I'd miss my butt and my curves.

But my point is, be happy with your body, even if you have to work to get it to where you want to be. Everybody has different goals. I'm just here to celebrate the work we're all doing to get to where we want to be.

/merhugs

In response to Golden Pearl's pictures, I myself look more like the chick on the left (I'm 5'6") and my sister looks like the girl on the right (she's 5'4"ish). And we're both just naturally that way for the most part.

I started eating more salad, fruit and nuts to put a stop to the weight that's been creeping up on me annually. I don't want to be one of those middle aged people who suddenly finds themselves 30lbs overweight. I don't want to be a waif. I've already been underweight, and I looked like a triangle. It wasn't attractive and I ruined my metabolism. The only reason why being underfed doesn't destroy the metabolisms of celebrities and models is because they have a TEAM OF PEOPLE who manage their diets and exercise. I really used to buy into celebrities as being inspiration for what I wanted to look like. I watched a documentary on the fashion industry that exposed just how much bullshit the mainstream ideal of beauty is. If you don't see these people in person, you should always assume that what's there has been digitally manipulated to the point where it barely resembles the source material. That's when I just let it go. It's a system that's meant to keep you consuming diet, media and beauty products because what's to be attained is not actually attainable. So, instead of using these fictional people as inspiration for what I want to look like, I now use Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo's art as my inspiration for an attainable ideal. Since mainstream media is just as fictional as fantasy art, I might as well look up to something I actually think is hot ^^;

http://www.oocities.org/the3agents/boris/boris1.jpg

http://fantasy.mrugala.net/Frank%20F...6%20-%2002.jpg

Ah, I love those women!

When I think of what I want to look like not only have I looked like it so I know it's possible, it's basically what I'd look like if I lived in a society where people still moved all the time, but were well fed (and by well, I mean healthy). I see surfers as a big example of this- almost every single one of them has this great, healthy, fit physique because they're always using their bodies, and the use is so all around.

I get to see surfers, men and women, walking around here all the time, the tops of their wetsuits down, and they're inspiring. Also, gee what a hardship. ;) lol

Here's one guy who votes for voluptuous. Yay curves!

I don't really care about being thin, I just want to get rid of my overstretched, hangy-downy leftovers from pregnancy. I don't even care about the stretch marks. (Actually, I'm proud of them.) I just want the kangaroo pouch gone.

On that note; 3 reps of 10 sit-ups, and 2 reps of 15 push-ups.
Better than yesterday, again! Feel the burn! lol

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/vi...woman.cnn.html