Scrawny to healthy?

[Ayoko]

So guys, I've been browsing this site for a while looking up nutrition advice. I've found a lot, and I'm gonna start experimenting soon. But if you have anything else for a 5 ft, 87 lb (no lie) 18 yr-old chick with a high metabolism that i might not have read yet, please share. I never kept track of my calorie intake though, but i'm gonna start that too. I just know that i've been eating pretty unhealthy recently. I've never (that i know of) been over 94 lbs, even after eating like crazy for a couple weeks straight, though that was a while ago. I know being light can be good for tricking, but i'm so scrawny that even with regular exercise i never feel very strong.

[Lees Dragon]

Haha.
Welcome girl! :wink:

Youre main theme is to upppp da calories!
Think of it mathematically: Calories in - Calories out = Weight gain (if positive) or Weight loss (if negative)

Of course the gain and loss could be in either fat or lean mass.
What you eat and what exercise you do determines that. :good:

[Tricia...]

You sound like me! haha My weight actually never changes because of my diet. I've always tried so hard to gain weight by eating a LOT. Never worked. Even when I don't eat, my weight doesn't change. lol It's weird. The only way I can gain weight is if I work out. When I stop working out, that's when I lose weight.

In high school, I was tiny. Then, my coach forced me to lift a lot. That got me the strength I needed to do my event. It made all the difference. I also went from 110 - 120 lbs. So... just lift a lot if you want to feel strong. Work with fast twitch exercises for tricking.

[Ayoko]

Thanks guys for the tips! They help a bunch. =D

[Confucius]

Of course, you will have to post nudes for us to give accurate advice.

[DeeJay]

Of course.

[G-sus]

What Confucius said.

[Lees Dragon]

Sickos. :tongue:
You just gotta love the lovely TT community. :smile:

[Churoflip]

Of course, you will have to post nudes for us to give accurate advice.

Hes a wise man, obey him

[Ayoko]

So, its been a few days. I've been good so far about tracking what I eat (just on a regular basis) and keeping a food log. Whoo! =D

And you'd have to pay me for nudes. But go to my FB to check out some pics! XP

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/profile.php?id=1504877775&ref=profile

(jk 'bout the nudes guys! XP )

[Ernest]

I added you on facebook.

..to make up for the loss of Steve (curse you villain!)

[Ayoko]

Sweet.

[ButtHash Hero]

:3 you know what you need? Some milk and squats :ogre:

[luke walka]

So guys, I've been browsing this site for a while looking up nutrition advice. I've found a lot, and I'm gonna start experimenting soon. But if you have anything else for a 5 ft, 87 lb (no lie) 18 yr-old chick with a high metabolism that i might not have read yet, please share. I never kept track of my calorie intake though, but i'm gonna start that too. I just know that i've been eating pretty unhealthy recently. I've never (that i know of) been over 94 lbs, even after eating like crazy for a couple weeks straight, though that was a while ago. I know being light can be good for tricking, but i'm so scrawny that even with regular exercise i never feel very strong.

u have the opposite problem from half the girls I have met.
i added you to myspace, sadly myspace is in chinese and I know very limited chinese.

[Ashtar]

Dude, I don't even NEED nudes, you can post a pic of yourself wearing a Burqa, I'll use my imagination! Anyway um... you seem to already have the right idea. By keeping track of your calories, if you aren't gaining weight then you just incrementally increase them until you do. Try to gain mainly muscle though, odd as it may seem, a lot of the great trickers I see in videos might be what some call 'scrawny' looking. That's why it's so much skill training.

Whether or not you feel strong is really a matter of perception. Sometimes we think we're strong when we're weak, other times we think we're weak when we're strong. Numbers don't lie though, so what numbers have you achieved?

Oh wait *checks facebook* Niiiiice. Cool candle as well. Anyway, are you very flexible? One thing that strength training can do if not monitored is reduce flexibility so it is good to develope that simultaneously.

[Ayoko]

I'm more flexible than the average girl around here (which can't be saying much since a lot of the chicks at my school are muffin-tops, like, hardcore). I used to stretch every day. I pulled a muscle going into my split one time so i had to stop for a while, and i never really picked it up again (and for some reason, that meant all stretching).

As for numbers don't lie, like how many sets and reps i do for stuff? Haha, i joined this site as a commit to start that. Can't say I've ever been to a gym. Ever. I go to the conditioning classes at my kung fu school when i have the time. The most i've ever done in one of those classes was:

2 sets of 50 squats, push-ups, and window-wipers
5 sets of 20 for squats, sit-ups, push-ups, & jumping jacks

We did it at our own pace, and the classes are normally less than that because we need time to practice sparring techniques. Even so, i can't say i did everything perfectly. I'm an underweight twig, i'm still surprised i kept up. The push-ups killed my shoulders though, i think they're the weakest part of me.

And yeah, i didn't really mean for everyone to think i was just trying to gain fat or anything. I would really like the muscle. But i don't have any money for a gym membership (not that i'd really want to go alone ;_;) or my own equipment (though i might be working at Academy this summer for cash AND a discount. haha). So i was actually gonna ask advice on what i could possibly do, haha.

And I joined this site to find advice to start training (and make friends), but i just have bad timing really. I have pain in my ankles and strained muscles in my back and shoulders due to all the extra dance rehearsals i had to go to for this major performance we held. It was yesterday, we did okay, so now i have time to recover a bit. My back was actually almost okay earlier this week but i practiced some cartwheels and it hurt all over again. I've been working on tornado kicks though...

So, yeah. I'm a twig. :/

[DeeJay]

Are you strong, Ayoko?

[Ayoko]

Pft. I wish.

Gonna get there though. I know I will.

[Tricia...]

I added you on facebook! ^^

But hmm... you don't have a gym at your school? just go there. Maybe find a friend who will help you and knows what theyre doing.

[Ayoko]

Thanks Tricia!

And no, we don't really have a gym at our school. We have some basic equipment. Its a relatively new school of the Shaolin-Do Association (SDA) and so its not very big. Its one room with a small bathroom in the back and the training mat is basically the whole floor. It sounds sad, but I love training at that school. The main school in my city is a bit to far away for me to go on a regular basis. We're going to get a bigger location if we can get more students.

[Tricia...]

oh no no I mean your high school or something. That's where I'd go to lift when i was in high school.

[Ayoko]

Oh, haha.

I would, but you have to be part of some sort of athletics team for that. I'm not, (since dancing isn't athletic enough apparently) so I'm not allowed in there. Besides, I'm on the step of graduation, I wouldn't have much time left anyway.

[Tricia...]

ah, whacksauce. Check if whatever school you go to next has one. I've never had to pay for a gym in my life. The school I go to now doesn't have a weight room. So, I haven't really lifted since my last University... about a year ago. =[ I miss it.

[Imperial]

Hmm, a persons from Texas!


i'll add you on facebook. :)


Also, if your going to graduate and then whether your going to college next year or semester you should be able to use the weight rooms for free. From what it sounds like you are a hard gainer with an ectomorph body type. a few tips I can add is switch up your resistance routine, for instance try plance pushups instead of normal pushups or try ab exercises on those exercise balls. You may respond to gymnastics compared to other things.. Be careful on the foods you eat because there is good weight and bad weight, its more important to eat at certain times after and before workouts to maximize recovery. Recovery is what builds up muscle mass, not the pumps you get during workouts.

I dont know your budget but you can buy protein supplements at the grocery store for cheap, keep clear because a lot fo supplements dont do what they advertise. Nothing is as really convenient and effective as raw and whole foods at the market: like nuts, eggs, fish, lean beef, legumes, sprouts, cauliflower, chicken salad, tuna, many whole fruits and veggies like bananas, apples, and so forth. carbs oatmeal, pasta noodles, cream of wheat, white rice, beans, bran and macaroni.

good luck.

[Ashtar]

Strained ankles, back and shoulders... you sound like you need an inversion table.

[Ayoko]

Hmm, a persons from Texas!


i'll add you on facebook. :)


Also, if your going to graduate and then whether your going to college next year or semester you should be able to use the weight rooms for free. From what it sounds like you are a hard gainer with an ectomorph body type. a few tips I can add is switch up your resistance routine, for instance try plance pushups instead of normal pushups or try ab exercises on those exercise balls. You may respond to gymnastics compared to other things.. Be careful on the foods you eat because there is good weight and bad weight, its more important to eat at certain times after and before workouts to maximize recovery. Recovery is what builds up muscle mass, not the pumps you get during workouts.

I dont know your budget but you can buy protein supplements at the grocery store for cheap, keep clear because a lot fo supplements dont do what they advertise. Nothing is as really convenient and effective as raw and whole foods at the market: like nuts, eggs, fish, lean beef, legumes, sprouts, cauliflower, chicken salad, tuna, many whole fruits and veggies like bananas, apples, and so forth. carbs oatmeal, pasta noodles, cream of wheat, white rice, beans, bran and macaroni.

good luck.

Thank you for all the advice. Do you think that wearing weights when i train will be a good idea until i can get to a weight room in college? I might be able to train with my cousins, they work out a lot.

And I was actually gonna try to join a gymnastics place for a while over the summer (if a part time job will really accept me :dead:). And do you have any brands of supplements you can suggest? I wouldn't know what to look for.

Thanks again! :smile:

[Tocowujo]

Other than running with ankle weights, I don't think that there would be anything bad about wearing weights for certain exercises. Most wrist/ankle weights are usually too light for any substantial lift exercise with the purpose of gaining muscle mass, but for you they may work really well provided you get creative with it. What weights do you have exactly?

As far as supplements go, i suggest a decent multi and fish oil if you aren't already taking them. My personal favorite brand for many supplements is Now Foods, but if you are buying protein powder in a store, i usually just go for whatever is cheapest per pound since it is always overpriced at retail. Ideally its best to get sport supplements online for both price and selection, but its understandably a hassle if you are only buying one or two things.

[Ayoko]

I have a weighted vest that gets up to 20 lbs, and really crappy ankle weights (the velcro is old so it comes undone easy).

I had actually wanted to get my own equipment to start some light lifting. I told my parents (this was before i could get a job) and they got me a set of 3, 5, & 8 lb dumbells... >_> understandable since equipment can be expensive, but it did throw me off since i didn't think i'd even get anything. haha.

So i don't have anything besides that. Guess I'll have to be real creative, now won't I?

[Imperial]

Thank you for all the advice. Do you think that wearing weights when i train will be a good idea until i can get to a weight room in college? I might be able to train with my cousins, they work out a lot.

And I was actually gonna try to join a gymnastics place for a while over the summer (if a part time job will really accept me :dead:). And do you have any brands of supplements you can suggest? I wouldn't know what to look for.

Thanks again! :smile:

Why wouldn't you be able to get a part-tome job? Here are some protein brands, off the top I can think of:
Optimum 100% Whey Protein, CytoSport (MuscleMilk too), BSN Syntha-6, those are a few i can think of that are good.

[Ayoko]

Well that was a while ago. I'm actually going with my friend tomorrow to gather applications, haha. I ran out of the money from my last part-time job a while ago.

[Victor L]

Of course, you will have to post nudes for us to give accurate advice.
Gotta love TT.

[Imperial]

Hey i noticed you practice kungfu. cool

if you are ever for some reason are in victoria, tx you should stop by the asian culture center. http://www.marketplacevictoria.com/marketplace/businesses/asian-culture-ctr/

[Vegetable]

You people make me sick.

[Ayoko]

Oh noes guys. This past week was everything I ate (Mon-Sat)
Epic Fail much? :dead:

Days Protein Carbs Fat Calories
Day 1 11% 45% 44% 2824
Day 2 10% 46% 44% 1980
Day 3 11% 47% 42% 2074
Day 4 14% 59% 27% 1751
Day 5 15% 49% 36% 3104
Day 6 24% 44% 32% 1225

Total 14% 48% 38% 12958

So yeah, I'm gonna be adjusting this a lot. Shouldn't be too bad. My cousin (who's living with me) is also trying to eat healthier. We got some fruits and salad stuff today. But man. Okay, I still gotta find a good protein supplement (since I proved I need it badly) and I have to go master the blender. :smile:

So if you got any cool recipes other than what's on Juji's guides, or any advice really, I'd appreciate it. Now that I'm almost done figuring out my diet, its on to figure out how to workout more. Good thing I'm going to visit some places during this week!

[DeeJay]

Just eat tuna and eggs in addition. Fantastic sources of protein.

[Swartz]

Just lounge around the leg press machine all day.

[Ashtar]

You know, some people run wearing heavy boots. It's required if you ever need to run in snow or in the army or something. There's not really any difference between that and ankle weights, cept that they go up to 20lbs and I don't know any boots that weigh that much.

Uphill running is slower, and there's more muscle engagement in the posterior chain, and there's less impact, so this'd lessen the risks associated with ankle weight running which were probably done by studying running on level terrain.