Better Body Goals-Accountability Thread

[Mermaid Dottie]

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.

[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.

[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.

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

[deepblue]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[Usagi]

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.

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

[Mermaid Oshun]

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

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.

[Christopher Chandler]

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!

[Mermaid Octavia]

French Merman, NEVER lose that butt!

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!

[Mermaid Oshun]

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.

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?

[Mermaid Dottie]

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.

[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

[Mermaid Varshana]

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.

[Mermaid Oshun]

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

[deepblue]

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.

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?

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.

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

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

[Mermaid Octavia]

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.

[Mermaid Varshana]

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 ^^;

[deepblue]

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

[Alveric]

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

[Mermaid Dottie]

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

[Mermaid Dottie]

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