(Part 2) Best products from r/xxfitness

Sorry this is coming late, but I thought I'd give my input since I solely use DVDs now. I definitely have seen results, but you have to make sure you can motivate yourself. Once I get into the groove of it, I'm usually good, though, the past few days I've been bad about it. If I have regular routine, I'm usually good about it and I end up working out 5 times a week, though, the past two weeks I've gotten lazy and worked out maybe 3 or 4 times. But some weeks it happens.

The great thing about DVDs is that I can switch them up and do different ones everyday or do two in one day if they're short DVDs. And since I'm mixing it up all the time, my body doesn't get stuck in a rut and I'm generally sore after each of my workouts.

Anyways, my suggestion would be to look at your local library's selection first. This way you can see what DVDs you like before purchasing them. I've definitely bought a few and now don't ever use them because I don't like something about them. Here are a few suggestions I have, though:

Someone suggested The Firm and I have two that I really like: The Firm: Cardio Overdrive and The Firm Bootcamp - Maximum Calorie Burn. These two are great workouts and mix cardio and plyometrics with weights. The instructor, Alison Davis, is also really good at cuing you. I like going to these DVDs on days I have time (I think they're about 50 minutes, though the Cardio Overdrive has a shorter version that is only 30 minutes or so) and really want a big work out.

Someone also mentioned Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred, which I really like. It has three levels and each level has three circuits of strength, cardio, and abs. Each level is about 20 minutes so I like doing this on days I don't have a lot of time. Or some days I'll do level 1 and level 2.

If you're not coordinated or if you're feeling kind of lazy, I'd suggest Leslie Sansone. They're lower impact and don't have a lot of complicated moves. You might not see results as quickly using her DVDs, but getting up and moving is better than nothing! I like Leslie Sansone: 5 Really Big Miles and Leslie Sansone: Walk It Off and Tone It Up. The latter has you using a resistance band while walking. I have to warn you, she can be a bit annoying.

Along with the Firm and Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, I think this one is one of my top favorites: Results Fitness: Boost Your Metabolism. It will make you sweat!

10 Minute Solution: Blast Off Belly Fat is another favorite of mine. It has some really good ab workouts. There are 5 different workouts you can choose and each are 10 minutes. I usually do 3 of the 5 - Flat Belly Fast, Ab Ripper and Six Pack Abs. The other two are good, but I just don't love them as much as the other three.

Quick Fix: Total Cardio Kick is one of the first DVDs I bought and used continuously. There are three 10 minute workouts that each target different parts of the body (arms and back, abs, legs and glutes) and a bonus 10 minute workout that works the whole body. I like doing this when I'm low on time.

Double Pump featuring Shpresa - Lower Body Workout is one of my newer DVDs. The lower body workouts are decent, but I really like her ab workouts. If I'm doing an abs day I'll pop in the 10 Minute Solution DVD and choose the abs workout portion of this DVD and will definitely feel it the next day. This one is really good for working out the lower abs, which I generally have a hard time doing.

Denise Austin has a ton of DVDs out there. She was the first DVD I worked out to (besides my mom's Jane Fonda DVD when I was a little kid). Some of her DVDs are better than others and she can be a little annoying. These two are among her better ones: Denise Austin: Boot Camp - Total Body Blast and Ultimate Fat Burner. They use a step in the Ultimate Fat Burner one, which I don't have, but I still get a great workout just doing it on the floor.

For Pilates, I like doing Crunch - Super SlimDown: Pilates Yoga Blend. It's good without being super annoying.

Another Crunch DVD I like is Crunch: Total Resculpt. It has a bunch of different weight exercises.

Now the title of this one is a little misleading: Ageless with Kathy Smith: Total Body Turnaround. It makes it seem like it's for old people, but I was sore from her weights segment the next day. It's not one of my favorites, though, for some reason.

I just started using this one: Shape Toning Workout: Bikini Body All Year-Round. It takes workouts from their magazine and actually shows you how to do them, which I like. I hate looking down at the magazine while trying to do the different moves.

Self - Slim and Sleek Fast is one that I've had for a while. Oddly enough, it's the same instructor as the Crunch Pilates/Yoga DVD I mentioned earlier. She looks different in this one, but it's the same person! It mixes cardio with weights.

Anyways, there are a million different DVDs out there and these were the ones I could think of off the top of my head. Some of them might not be for you, but hopefully you'll like some of them! Like I said, try checking out your local library first. There's usually a ton. Or ask some of your friends. Just about everyone I know has the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and they might have a few others.

I like doing DVDs because I don't get bored as easily and it pushes me to do more reps and sets and do cardio longer than I would myself. But you have to make sure you can motivate yourself. Plus, I can wear whatever I want, look stupid, and I don't have to go anywhere!

Good luck!

Lifting gloves - No, you do not want to buy these. Don't waste your time. BUY CHALK INSTEAD. Ask yourself--have you ever seen elite powerlifters wearing gloves? Never, because they dont (and arent allowed anyway). Gloves are very beginner friendly as a lot of women are afraid of getting their hands torn up by the barbell--then they eventually realize (like I did) that the gloves are a big hindrance to your grip. Please don't bother with gloves. If anything, you should be buying yourself some gym chalk instead (if you dont have any at your gym)

Belts-- i will admit, I used to resist the belt. For no good reason really. I just felt that my lifts weren't heavy enough to justify it. Most I have deadlifted without a belt is 216lbs which is pretty good for my bodyweight (114lbs). It's the most I've lifted without a belt because shortly after that, I got a belt after trying out my friend's belt ona heavy squat. Now that I own a belt, there's just no good reason to lift heavy without a belt as far as I'm concerned. It really does make a huge difference in making it easier to maintain internal pressure because I have something to push against. This makes it less likely I'm gonna injure my back. I hurt my back once after one too many heavy clean and jerks and it really messed me up for a while. Although I am not positive, I am pretty sure it was a combination of weak bracing on that clean and being tired. Now I always ALWAYS wear a belt for clean and jerks. I have a harder time with the valsalva maneuver during olympic lifts because there's just so much more going on that I kinda "forget" about holding in that breath and bracing my abs and stuff, unless I have the pressure of the belt against me to remind me.

I have this belt - Valeo 4" velcro belt. Now I chose this belt over a more traditional thick leather powerlifting belt, because I also do olympic weightlifting as I have already mentioned. Right now I've moved my focus more towards powerlifting, but I use the belt for powerlifting and I personally still prefer it over the more normal powerlifting belts. I hate lever belts because they aren't as adjustable as this. Also, these are easier to take on/off. But you would not be able to use a thick powerlifting belt for olympic lifts (the belt is too thick, would literally get in the way) so this thin velcro type of belt is popular for oly lifters. If you ever see yourself trying oly lifts in the future, this is the kind of belt you want (plus it's WAY cheaper than those fancy shmancy Inzer powerlifting belts). If you want to just stick with powerlifting, this belt is still quite suitable in my experience. I prefer different levels of tightness for different lifts, and even on a day to day basis my preference for things can change...plus depends on the weight I'm pulling. I honestly don't think there's any reason you need to wait to get a belt like I did--I wish I had bought a belt much sooner, because it would have helped a lot with my progression. Plus maybe I would not have hurt my back that one time.

Again, I want to reiterate there's no prerequisite "weight level" you need to be at to get a belt. Get a belt now. It can only help you, regardless of if youre a dead beginner, novice, or whatever.

I was squatting in flat shoes similar to converse, but I bought lifting shoes because I started olympic lifting. Yes, they do make a gigantic difference for your squat. I am of the opinion that lifting shoes are probably not for everyone, but neither are converse. Sometimes the key to unlocking better form really is in the shoe. For me, I squat much better in my squat shoes, at least when the weight gets heavy. Why? Because oly shoes have a lot of lateral support--in other words, the walls of the shoes are quite hard. You can press your toes/feet against them from the inside and not see the shoe move. That's really useful in the squat--if you are more into powerlifting, you want to maintain tension all the way down and this is easily maintained by flexing your glutes and also "twisting" your feet out a little bit within the shoe--you dont want to MOVE the shoe itself though. I personally prefer to push against the wall of the shoe and have the shoe push back at my feet because this makes it easier for me to maintain the tension. I lift at a pretty serious powerlifting gym, and I'd say we have a good 50/50 mix of people who prefer squatting in olympic shoes, and people who squat in converse/converse style shoes. The twisting should be happening regardless, but if I were to wear my converse and twist, I'd be more likely to roll my ankle because you're pushing against fabric which has a lot of give. The guys squatting in converse, you can see their toes pushing the fabric past the sole of the shoe on the sides, sometimes by quite a lot. That's what helps them --that hinders me.

Now when it comes to DEPTH, if you have trouble hitting appropriate squat depth, you should def want to try shoes. They help immensely with this. I personally never had issues hitting depth, I'm super mobile, but I had a hard time keeping my chest upright when squatting heavy when wearing flat shoes. Wearing oly/squat shoes helps me a lot with this. it's much easier to stay upright, for ME. And obviously, there's the question of heel hardness. I'll be real here--converse heels are hard relative to running shoes, but they aren't nearly as hard as the heels in my oly shoes. BUT, a lot of successful competitive powerlifters wear converse to squat, and it obviously works out well for them. Again, to each their own. Squat shoes will most likely benefit almost anyone who tries them I think, but plenty of people don't necessarily need them.

having said that, I still fucking love my Adidas Adipowers. You can pry them from my cold dead feet before I ever go back to squatting in flat shoes. I also have a pair of Reebok Crosslifter 2+'s that I really like. They were my first lifting shoes. I wanted adipowers but could not afford them, and I found a really good deal on the reeboks at the time. Then black friday rolled around and amazon was selling Adipowers for $97...so I snatched (ha) those bad boys up.

The only other gear you might want to consider at this point is wrist wraps. They can really help with benching and OHP's when the weight gets heavier. I personally prefer the shoestring variety as they are much more adjustable than the velcro variety, also the velcro ones are really thick and uncomfortable in my opinion.

For me, having an exercise buddy helped me transition to strength training. For the longest time I always thought that working out meant getting my heart rate up and sweating a lot. I was really naive to the benefits of weightlifting and found it to be dreadfully boring. Then my senior year of college a friend wanted to start weightlifting to get stronger and asked me to be her gym buddy. We were total beginners and weren't really following any real programming. We did spend a lot of time on the machines, but we did barbell squats as well as a few other free weight type of exercises. Then college graduation came and I moved to a new town where I knew nobody. I reverted back to my cardio only ways for years. Loved spinning classes as cross training. Started running half marathons.

When I was 28 I created an MFP account to actually track calories and lose weight. Even though I ran a lot, I was still really heavy. I started reading and learning so much more about weightlifting and all of it's benefits. I have been on the quest to get a good balance of cardio and weightlifting workouts ever since. My short weightlifting experience in college made it much easier to start weightlifting versus how it would be for an absolute beginner. This quest has been twice interrupted by pregnancy, so here I am, starting over again.

My current routine looks like this:

Sunday: Long run day (currently 60-90 minutes)
Monday: Active recovery, possibly yoga (more of the restorative stretching kind)
Tuesday: Weightlifting
Wednesday: Short run (30 minutes)
Thursday: Weightlifting
Friday: Short run (30 minutes)
Saturday: weightlifting, which I skip all the time - weekends get crazy! But active rest at best (playing with kids).

The weightlifting I am doing is the program from the book Strong. The routines are ~1 hour. The first couple stages are structured as follows:

• 10-15 minute dynamic warm up
  
• ab/core exercise (about 5-10 minutes)
  
• 4 strength exercises to be done as 2 super sets (set 1 of exercise A (typically lower body), rest 1 minute, set 1 of exercise B (typically upper body), rest 1 minute, set 2 of exercise A, rest 1 minute, set 2 of exercise B, etc)
  
• 10-20 minutes of cardio intervals (the intervals are longer in the first couple stages, but eventually get capped at 10 minutes)

Maybe instead of a cheat day or meal, you just add in small treats to your daily food? Personally, I have a sweet tooth but have found that eating a couple dried dates or a small piece of (good) chocolate after dinner will satisfy me -- but keeping things like snack foods, ice cream, etc. out of my house is a big part of that. If I have the food there, I'm much more likely to justify eating some of it.

I also have these protein bars, which I'll have with some orange juice towards the end of the evening (they're sugar free, so they don't conflict with each other and peanut butter chocolate and orange is actually a combo I really enjoy). They will satisfy my cravings for something sweet, but I factor them into my daily intake so it's not really a "cheat"; plus being protein they are more satiating than a candy bar would be.

Personally, I don't really believe in cheat days/meals. I think it's perfectly fine to occasionally go over my calorie budget, and I don't get down on myself if I do sometimes, but I will always track, even if that day ends up being at or above my TDEE. I think it's easier and more effective to allow yourself small treats regularly instead of waiting all week for your special "cheat" time then going all out.

TL;DR: allow yourself small treats regularly versus large cheat days/meals and keep things that tempt you out of the house in favor of healthier options (protein bars and dried fruit versus ice cream and chips or whatever)

Super, super sketch. If there's hope that it's actually going to work, there are easier ways of getting the info... The site lists these "factors" that result in having a smaller butt: 1. Hormonal imbalance during time of puberty, 2. Low fat genetics, 3. Low muscle genetics, 4. Natural body shape, 5. Physical activity, 6. Diet, 7. Lower body strength

Well, these actually boil down to the things we already know:

• Genetics
  
• Muscle
  
• Diet
  
  First, genetics can't really be controlled... with time and effort, you can look like the very best version of you. (You can't make yourself look fundamentally different, but you can fulfill your genetic potential.) If you think you have a hormone imbalance keeping you from having a bigger butt, seeing a doctor might help.
  
  Second, muscle is awesome. Check out strength-building programs such as Starting Strength or NROL4W if you have access to a gym with free weights. The compound lifts work multiple sets of muscles at once, and the basic lifts are squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead (military) press. Or look into Convict Conditioning if you want to use your body weight. These programs are balanced. These are well-researched. These are non-gimicky. If you follow the program, you will get stronger.
  
  The complete list of movements to build glutes are listed here at EXRX. They boil down to two main lifts - squats and deadlifts.
  
  The way to build strength and muscle mass is to lift heavy enough that the 3-5th repetition is really hard, and keep lifting more each time. If you never increase the weight, your muscles won't adapt to lift more. Progressive overload builds muscle.
  
  As an aside, doing lots of abdominal work can build your abs, which may make your waist-hip ratio smaller. If you're shooting for a killer butt, overdoing it with extra ab work (on top of the stabilizing work your abs do on heavy lifts) can't help you much in this quest. Spot reduction is a myth. See the "Brittany Spears Effect".
  
  Finally, in terms of diet, you can build muscle if you get enough protein. If you need to lose fat, eating enough protein and cutting out "junk" calories might be enough. If you need to gain fat, eating plenty of calories while you're lifting may be enough. If you don't need to lose fat, just focus on getting enough protein and eat sensibly when you're hungry.
  
  As you build strength in the posterior chain, you'll fill out looking like a goddess with "dat ass".
  
  TL;DR: No need for gimmicks - squats and deadlifts.

Thank you! I agree, it is addicting. I used to be a swimmer, which I think is probably similar to figure skating in that you're always monitoring yourself for like, the most efficiency in your movements. A hand placed slightly differently for better speed, or timing your breaths for a smoother flow. What I loved about swimming is how meditative it can all be--when you do laps, there's a lot of counting. How many breaths am I taking in each length? How many strokes? Can I improve on that in the next lap? Can I smooth out my motions to swim a little more effortlessly, requiring less breath, fewer strokes?

When I first started lifting, I bought an earlier edition of this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524785731&sr=1-2&keywords=weight+lifting

I just loved seeing the illustrations of how everything you can't see works together to move your body. I think it still might be one of my favorite books--there's so much happening under the surface.

There is a video on the bottom as part of the photos here. It gives you an idea of the range of motion. It's not a stair stepper, but it has the more circular motion of an elliptical, so it might be different than what you have.

Side note: I only doing it standing. I tried doing it sitting and found that awful (I'm tall though, 5'10", maybe it wouldn't be so bad for shorter people).

At the office, I usually just hop on it every hour for a few minutes to counteract sitting. However, at home, I've done it for extended times to get a cardio workout. The resistance can be increased with a knob to help get a better workout, and with the circular movement, you can do it pretty fast while still feeling it's a natural motion. I'd say it's comparable to very brisk walking. It's not as good as running, but you can veg out and watch something easily, and it's easy on the joints. I tend to do it when I don't feel like running, so it's a bit easier to get motivated to do it too. My boyfriend holds dumbbells in his hands while he does it.

I am pretty busty and found a couple great sports bras on Amazon for cheap. I used to layer 2-3 shitty sports bras, but I get amazing support with these.

First

Second

The first is a little better but pretty frumpy. Both are great and only $20. I have two of each.

I've had these for almost a year and they work pretty well. The sound quality is good, not amazing but they stay put while working out and running. I wish the battery life was a little better, I get maybe 2-3 hours. Definitely a good budget option, but I wouldn't say that they're the best. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753GRNQZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The science of the optimum metabolic window (which prompts the recommendation to eat w/in 30-45 minutes of working out) is pretty shaky. It may or may not be necessary to consume some protein and carbs to fuel optimum muscle repair during that time, but it certainly won't hurt! For me, eating right after a workout helps stave off the "oh my goodness I'm so hungry I could eat eight hippos" impulse and headaches, too.

I also think of a post-workout protein shake or protein bar as my source of extra workout-day calories, so I don't have to mess with my meal planning for the rest of the day. I like Optimum Nutrition's whey protein to mix with milk or coffee and the Think Thin protein bars. (Hate the branding, love the macros.)

former trapeze person here: I'd get a LOT of callouses and had to manage them so that I'd keep some protection but not get rips.

Before each session I would use a foot file to take down any edges and smooth out my hands (similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S89QX2?sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

After every session: repeat above and add a hand conditioner. I happen to like ClimbOn! that's made for climbing. It will last a long time and smells good (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017TK2TC?ref_=sr_1_1_s_it&s=beauty&qid=1499425262&sr=1-1&keywords=climb%20on&sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

Total time (before & after) = less than a minute

Good luck!

Creatine will effect women the same way it does men. It is one of the most researched supplements so you can show her research and let her know she already gets a natural source of creatine from meat.

Water retention is held in muscles and might make you weigh more but it's not going to make you "bloated" in the sense you get from like your period or eating a ton of salt.

I recommend pure creatine monohydrate for anyone interested in it. You can mix it in with any drink mix if you don't want to drink it straight because it has a slightly bitter taste and a weird texture. I like this brand because it's milled pretty fine, really cheap, and I can buy it in large quantities.

I've read a lot, and my theories on routines and splits have changed, but this has stayed my favorite book Strength Training Anatomy. I love the drawings and details of the anatomy as it relates to lifting. It really gives you a foundation to build on. :)

I own this scale from Amazon. It's less than $30 and I've had it for two months now. Beyond its body fat readings, which I'm not sure of the accuracy of most scales, the Bluetooth feature is really helpful for recording results to your phone in apps like Apple Health or My Fitness Pal. The scale also has a phone app that is pretty decent by itself; again, like any piece of technology, it will not be 100% accurate but if you're measuring yourself as well as weighing yourself consistently it can certainly help with organizing your data trends wirelessly.

Yay! Just shave them down just a bit so that they are smooth and not too thick, then use a pumice stone to smooth out any remaining rough edges. Find a good moisturizer, two I love are Climb On (great for when I actually tear) and Swedish Dreams (smells amazing, and makes my hands smooth and touchable).

My gym essentials:

For the gym

• Liquid chalk. THIS SHIT IS THE BOMB FOR GRIP. It's been so great when I'm either sweating a lot or I've over-warmed my cold hands with warm breath.
  
• A notebook. I liked using this one when my workouts were more varied. Since I'm doing a more simplified routine right now, I've just been using a mini composition notebook because it's compact. A notebook is great for keeping track of your progress, keeping track of your lifts, and making notes about how you're feeling. Especially great if you find yourself having low energy days - you can take a look back at what you were eating during the day leading up to your workout and note things like your cycle, any new supplements you've tried, etc.
  
• Water bottle
  
• Carabiner with a key ring on it. I don't use this so much now that I'm only using my office gym, but being able to attach my keys to the loop on my Camelbak or the lid arm on my Nalgene water bottle is convenient.
  
  In the locker room
  
  
• Two pairs of underwear - One pair I wear specifically for lifting - spandexy boy shorts that don't breathe well enough for all-day wear but do a good job of not riding up and keeping my jiggle to a low when I run. The other pair I change into after.
  
• The rest of my outfit (top, compression leggings, shoes)
  
• Some kind of headband and/or clips and a number of hair ties.
  
• Moist wipes. I can't remember what brand I have now, but I get ones that are meant for the face. If I can't shower right often, then I use one after sweating to clean off my face then use the remainder on my chest, upper back where my barbell rests, then armpits, then towel dry everything.

If you don't mind doing work out DVDs, I think Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred is a great work out plan.

It's a twenty minute work out, but it really gets your heart pumping. It could work if you don't have much time. Probably also save you money on a gym membership.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524608979&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=strength+training+anatomy

Theres one for women too but it's all about the booty. Great books but I need more than 40 butt exercises.

Doesn't cover work out programs. It just breaks down exercises, the correct forms, correct forms for different body types, common injuries and common mistakes.

The illustrations are also awesome. There's one of some guy in jesus sandals doing some lifts. Strait out of the 90's gym wardrobes. Aside from the sarcasm the illustrations are actually very good and highly detailed.

http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-BackBeat-Wireless-Headphones-Smartphone/dp/B00KJLMBSO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420174555&sr=8-2&keywords=plantronics+wireless+headphones

I splurged on these and love them dearly. They hook over the ear, because I have the kind of ears that forcibly eject ear buds even when sitting completely still. The battery goes for about a week, and did I mention that I love them?

1. OHP = OverHead Press. Usually standing. Occasionally known in the US as the military press. It has a bit more to keep track of, form-wise, but OHP, as I said, creates more REAL strength in people, because it teaches you to use your entire body as a structural support in the lift, which is what happens when you have to move heavy stuff in the real world.
   
   
2. Only degenerates and the morally dissolute use straps to do the front squat. :P In all seriousness, though, it's not an especially good idea because your control of the bar is not very good when using straps. People use them, though, because they generally don't know how to do a proper rack, and lack the flexibility to do so in any case. Why do you want to do a front squat anyway? Do it if you like, but I don't think it's really necessary for you right now.
   
   
3. There are a bunch of videos on youtube about how to use straps or hooks (search for "lifting straps" or "lifting hooks"), but they are very straightforward to use, and don't take up a lot of space. You can get them on Amazon, and same with hooks. As to whether to use hooks or straps? Hooks are easier to set up (just hook and lift!), but can be a bit uncomfortable, whereas straps feel more natural and comfortable, but require some screwing around to set them up right. I'd go with the hooks I posted, though. It looks like they solve a lot of the problems with most hooks.
   
   
4. That depends. I hate to eat soon before I train. I feel full and bloated and gross. If you can tolerate it, go for it.
   
   
5. Yup. You got it.

ok the story is: I am 30 years old and in the last year or so, I have found that I am slowly creeping up a dress size or two. I was always one of those thin people who could eat anything and never exercise so I am a total newbie to fitness - I suspect it's the metabolism slowing down with age lol


What is strength training vs weight training? Also a friend recomended a DVD by jillian mitchels which seems to be some sort of strength training/cardio mix.

Here you go! I have the Ice Blue/Deep Teal and the Charcoal/Peach Pink and they are both totally squat proof, true to size, and super comfy! They're a little overly high waisted in my opinion, but I think the Gymshark ones were too.

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I've washed them both once now and they are holding up, so we'll see if they continue to do so!

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I'm 85% of the time a small, and 15% of the time a medium and I preferred the small in these. I got (and returned) a pair of mediums that fit everywhere except the ankles were loose. The small seems to fit really well! One pair had a printed on tag and one didn't, so luckily there's the butt contour so I can tell the back from front on those. They'll say American S, China M on the tag.

Actually, as much as I love New Rules of Lifting for Women, I prefer the update they did just last year: Strong: Update to New Rules of Lifting for Women. The authors took a great program and made it even better.

A bunch of people on this sub strongly recommended Mpow Flame bluetooth earbuds, so I finally bought them and I definitely think they're worth it! Comfortable, stay put, long battery life, and connect easily every time.

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https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Headphones-Waterproof-Cancelling/dp/B0753GRNQZ/ref=asc_df_B0753GRNQZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309820150211&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14438259750434778820&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008461&hvtargid=aud-643574997066:pla-530149071052&psc=1

I was having trouble with earbuds not staying in my ears until I found this over-the-ear style.
After researching all the over-the-ear style brands and models, I decided on this one from Plantronics and have never looked back.
They are super lightweight, I often forget Im even wearing them. Very good sound quality and sweat proof. They last ~12 or so hours so I get 5 or 6 workouts in before needing to charge.
All in all I think they are awesome, and are way more affordable than some of the other options. Highly recommend. I got them at Christmas and cant imagine using anything else.

I use these headphones with my iPhone SE. They've been great. This morning I did a card deck workout with burpees, jump rope, box jumps, and pushups and they stay in place with a good connection to my phone sitting off to the side. Then I did a 2 mile run with them and again, they worked great. I also weight lift with them on and no troubles there. I also wear them throughout the day at work listening to podcasts. They last about 8 hrs of solid play before I have to recharge them.

I've said this on this sub before, but I think it's a point a lot of folks miss :)

It may not be *how much* water you're drinking, but *how often* you're drinking it. Think about it, if you chug a full 1L in < 2 minutes, do you really think your body is gonna assimilate that in any capacity? Nah, it's gonna get rid of it as soon as it can; it's simply too much. It is likely going straight to your bladder and ends up being almost entirely water, hence making you pee all the time. If you drink the same 1L, little by little, over the course of 5 hours? Different story.

I drink closer to 3L every day. I carry a big 1L water bottle with me, that has friendly markings on when to drink the water (8am, 9am, 10am, etc, etc) and it's usually a manageable gulp, not a "chug a glass of water" thing. I don't pee as often (once mid morning, once at noon, and usually once or twice in the afternoon) and my pee is yellow, not clear. I ultimately think this is the end goal with the hydration recommendations.

After I drink my 2Ls, I consider any further liquid intake "bonus" I'm a sucker for la croix, so i drink a bunch of that at night with dinner or while relaxing. Same with tea. It's just something to consider. Nowadays when I don't drink 2Ls I feel parched, and like everything is wrong with me, but can't put my finger on why. I just feel off.

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This is the link to my water bottle if anyone is curious: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1RKJEN/

You could try Starting Strength, AKA "SS" - I haven't started that one yet but I did enjoy The New Rules of Lifting for Women, which I am almost done with.

You look great to start with and you are young so you should show awesome results.

FYI your ass is fabulous.
I would kill for dat ass.

No, I usually buy my creatine through Smart Powders or on Amazon from Bulk Supplements. Plain old creatine monohydrate is going to be the same from any brand, so I go with what gives me the best deal. I currently am working my way through this right here. It is $20 for 2.2lbs of it, as opposed to $15 for ON's 1.3lbs of it. Just remember whatever brand you get, look for micronized!

Edit: Micronized creatine monohydrate has the consistency of powdered sugar, which is why it dissolves way better than the normal granules it usually comes in.

Gloves actually make things harder to grip because they effectively make the bar thicker. Wrist straps would make more sense instead as a crutch.

I use chalk and hook grip, and that's more than sufficient for my deadlifts. Also make sure that your hand placement is correct. For deadlifts, keeping the bar at the top of the palm will reduce callous formation. For bench press, keeping the bar in the middle of the palm will reduce strain on wrists.

I have an under the desk elliptical.

Non-affiliated link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VICRO8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1417885560&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

And it's on sale!

I love it. It's easy to put together, it's quiet, it has a decent tensioner, and I love gaming and exercising, or watching movies and exercising. I have it on a little carpet so that I can drag it on my hardwood floors.

It's pretty bruised and still swollen (and all my co-workers seem to think the nail is going to fall off), but I can bend it at both joints so I'm pretty sure it's not broken.

The straps in my gym bag are these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COY99U2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that my boyfriend bought and never used. I already planned to skip my deadlift day for at least this week and just re-try to my chest day (what I was doing Monday when I had the oops) so I'm hoping that by next Wednesday/Thursday it won't hurt so bad anymore and I can resume DLs.

I was able to get farther on my deadlift when I used a grip aid. My gym doesn't have chalk available, so I tried using my pole grip 'lotion' and it worked really well. Dry Hands is nice because it's pocket sized, just takes a few drops/no mess, and it's great for pole, rock climbing, and lifting!

Ah I might suggest looking and progressing into the New Rules of Lifting series

http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398

or strong from the same author

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583335757/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1583335757&linkCode=as2&tag=louschulercom-20&linkId=FZL7J77SPOMQMBPO

or girls gone strong

https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/strength-training/

I would highly recommend the book Strong by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. They are the guys who wrote NROLFW and wrote this book as a more developed approach to starting with the compound lifts and building up your core strength to lift without injury. All the exercises are explained with modifications to make them easier or more difficult. By the end of the program you are doing back squats, deadlifts, etc.

You could get one of those mini ellipticals like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VICRO8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I recently got one and I just set it on the floor, and you can just sit on the couch and do it with your feet (so it feels like being on one of those stationary bikes). It's really easy on the joints, and you can go as fast or slow as you want. It's a great way to get your heart rate up a little bit without having to go to a gym, and it's kind of like walking, but without the back pain you're experiencing, since you can do it sitting down. I usually turn on Netflix while I do it as a distraction.

I like some callous to be on my hands for gripping, but I do like my hands to otherwise be soft. Accordingly, I lotion my hands pretty consistently, even on days I'm not lifting or poling. When I need the grip, I use Dry Hands solution which I equate to liquid chalk solution. I also exfoliate in the shower and use a homemade sugar scrub on my hands. When the callouses get bad, I use this foot scrub. The majority of my callous development comes from pole dancing, so your mileage may vary with these techniques.

Check out Strong by Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Shuler. It's pretty much what you describe: powerlifting base with accessory and core work.

https://www.amazon.com/RENPHO-Bluetooth-Bathroom-Composition-Smartphone/dp/B01N1UX8RW/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_rm?ac_md=1-1-c2NhbGUgd2l0aCBib2R5IGZhdA%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&keywords=scale&pd_rd_i=B01N1UX8RW&pd_rd_r=030c3775-64a5-49ea-889d-5b0737510e46&pd_rd_w=3FJMm&pd_rd_wg=0Kfim&pf_rd_p=404c4843-2c96-4d0d-a5fe-2b0598693e61&pf_rd_r=E48RW5RNJM0JHDR9SQ2G&qid=1567000715&s=gateway

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another bluetooth option, love this one.

Lifting Wrist Straps by Rip Toned (Pair) - Cotton - Neoprene Padded - for Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, Xfit, Strength Training, Powerlifting, MMA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00COY99U2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3ueRDbM1HBDRZ


I have small wrists and these work well

Plantronics backbeat fit are the bomb and sound like they fit what you're looking for. They're over-the-ear, bluetooth, water/sweat-resistant, and usually priced around $80-$100. I'm not the pickiest in terms of sound quality, but I have no complaints related to that. They're loud, and I didn't realize how crappy my cheap earbuds were until I wore these. I've had mine for almost a year and a half now, wear them 4+ times a week, and they're still going strong!

I especially like them because the excess cord doesn't touch your neck. My first bluetooth headphones had a longer wire, and it would bounce my neck when I ran. I would get really annoying feedback in my ears each time it bounced.

Might check this out. Sounds similar to what you are looking for and I had great results with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Workout-Programs-Metabolism-Strength/dp/0399573437

I could recommed a great pilates ball to you https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014QK4G9A

This one is awesome:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Why did you choose Strong Curves over say, Starting Strength or Strong to name just two others?

Aliexpress is basically a site where you can order cheap or knock off things from China. The pair of leggings that she bought is probably from here since she said they were $17 lol. Many chinese sellers are also selling the same product on Amazon.

Your creatine is absurdly expensive. I use this creatine which is $19 for a kilo (200 servings, 9.5 cents / serving) and it's great.

Creatine is crazy cheap compared to ~every other supplement out there, I can't believe you managed to spend so much on yours!

My fiancee bought this for home We really like it because it gives us a way to track anything from fat-free body weight to protein percentage(not that we track that stuff). I agree it is not super accurate but it seems to be close enough.

I used to buy that one, but then I switched to this one from BulkSupplements. Way cheaper on Amazon and it's nowhere near as gritty as the ON stuff.

I got this one in May and its been working great! The app works really well and the Bluetooth connection always works flawlessly with my iPhone (my parents had a fitbit scale that was always a PITA connecting, but this was a few years ago so maybe Bluetooth in general has just improved)

The body composition results were decently close to an InBody scan I did at my gym, however I don't think bioimpedance in general is particularly accurate in terms of body fat %.

I own his book, and honestly the illustrations of women are a little disturbing to me. They are frequently shown topless and even when wearing sports bras their nipples are regularly showing through. I mean, I'm all for showing accurate anatomical drawings, but I'm not sure how a careful illustration of a woman's naked breasts is supposed to teach me which muscles are worked in a deadlift ...

Right now my goal is very simple and a bit vague: I just want to look and feel more athletic. My current focus is improving the appearance of my butt, thighs, and shoulders. I am still struggling to get out of 'skinny fat' phase. This is why I'm doing cardio on Tuesdays and Thursdays--I'm currently trying to burn off the fat and I believe I'm still in the early phase in which it's possible to burn fat and build muscle simultaneously (it's worked thus far), but that phase will end eventually.

I put this program together myself. I started with Stronglifts, moved onto Ice Cream Fitness, then continued to build onto that. I basically just paid attention to the changes in my structure and added or subtracted exercises when I felt that I needed to work on X (for example, I stopped bicep curls, because my biceps were out of control compared to everything else and I'm not into having huge biceps. I've recently added side and front raises to pump up my deltoids). I basically just study up on fitness, examine and re-examine my Strength Training Anatomy book, and make adjustments accordingly.

Also, my workouts must be one hour and 20 minutes or less because the gym opens at 7 a.m. and that's how much time I have to workout before I have to go to work. I would be doing a serious full-body workout 3 days a week if I could spend 2 hours at the gym but sadly it isn't possible.

I'd love it if you shared your workout with me.