[SunnyP]

Originally Posted by Ija

Sunny, I hope you don't mind that I nearly died laughing when I read this... I've got a few stories of my own... a nurse that told me to stop eating almonds everyday ("they're full of fat!"), a nutritionist who recommended doing a starvation cleanse ("you know, to detoxify..."), and a trainer who told me to lift lighter weights and do more reps ("because that's better for women.")

Oh no, don't get me started on the light weights more reps! My trainer in NYC was all about the 3 sets of 20 reps and meanwhile I'm wondering why can't I do heavier weights fewer reps? It seems it would make sense if my goal is to look very fit and be very strong. She continuously objected, saying that women don't train that way because they don't want to look "bulky". I said look I will make a deal with you, let's do heavier weights and when I get to the point that I start to feel/look "bulky", we will go back to doing it your way and I will cut back my protein intake so I can lose all that "bulk" that came on by accident.

So far, that hasn't been necessary...

[Thighs Be Gone]

Originally Posted by SunnyP

That's great to hear! Did you achieve this low body fat with weight/resistance training?

Personally, I would like to see what my body looks like at 19%. This is why I don't really have a "weight goal" per se - since I don't know how much lean body mass I'll be able to put on with my weight training, and I don't know what my body will look like at any particular bodyfat % (except the ones over 35%! I'm going to see how it goes as I keep working at it. I'll know my goal when I get there

I started doing "some" resistance training using Jillian Michaels DVD's and the exercises she suggests. I am also a runner. I do not go to a gym.