nighteyes

Thanks very much, everyone, I really appreciate you putting so much thought into this. I'm planning to start with 3 different moves, with one set of 5 reps for each. From advice given (and based on the fact the only kit I have are DBs and a yoga mat), it looks like 3 good moves to pick would be DB squats (potentially box squats) DB rows DB presses Does anyone have any particular thoughts about a good weight to start with, per DB?

Hi folks, I have fibromyalgia, which comes with chronic fatigue and I've found that every time I try to start at bodyweight level 1 it ends up triggering a fatigue flare. I posted about this in a different area of the forums and they said that heavy, low rep stuff had worked for them: She suggested barbells but I only have dumbbells, so she suggested I ask here if you had any advice, specifically "to check if it's safe to do heavy , low rep dumbbell work, and to ask what the best basic push, pull and legs movements" would be. Thank you all!

Thanks so much for replying, Harriet, that's really helpful. Would there be something similar I could do with dumbbells?

Hello folks, I have fibromyalgia, which is associated with chronic fatigue and pain. I've been going through a "rough patch", particularly fatigue-wise, for the past 2-ish years. Every time I try to start back at Bodyweight Level 1, I end up crashing again. How can I find a level that's right for me without crashing out?

Hey @Bookish Badger. I disappeared from this one because I started (and finished) the challenge a week early, so my final post was pretty early As for general forum absence, I sort of just can't decide what to do for the next month. I want to give myself a break, because I'm off work for a month (annual leave) before I start my new jobs. I don't want to be too restricted. But I also want to keep moving forward, so it's a difficult one! How are you? Thanks for asking about me

I started the challenge early, so I finished on Friday Here's my summary... I only missed 2 x planks; 3 x handstands; and 5 x protein shakes; and I feel really good about that. London choir trip didn't really derail me at all (apart from missing 2 protein shakes). I wasn't forbidding snack food, but have really not been eating much of it - when I had some chocolate at choir I felt really sick after, which suggests my body's adapting to having less sugar in its system. I have visible arm muscles now! I am super excited and have been showing a LOT of people. Fortunately I mostly wear t-shirts so it's not too awkward... I was down to 129 lbs on my last day of the challenge (although this fluctuates). This is good, 14 lbs down from my first weigh-in on May 19th. I held a handstand AWAY FROM the wall for 4s! I think it's easier if my hands are a little further away from the wall to start with - more potential space. I've been trying to hold free ones on my way up to, and down from, the wall I have bought a pull up bar as my loot! It is going to be incorporated into my next challenge and I am super excited I have been feeling a bit weak, though - perhaps not eating enough - and am having a proper rest week or two (I will probably stick pretty closely to things, but I'm giving myself the freedom not to). And I didn't miss a single day of IF!

Definitely - I find it way too easy to get rigidly caught up in a new, exciting plan, and that just means I eventually feel weird about either myself or the plan.

Update time! Diet: - Intermittent fasting going well For now, it's not as hard as I thought it would be - I haven't really been snacking, but at choir on Thursday I had some chocolate treats (partly for deliciousness, partly to prove to myself that I wasn't doing a strict regime, because those are not good for me) - I didn't have a protein shake yesterday because I had a beer and then I forgot. There you go. Fitness: - Bodyweight workouts going well. Yaay level 2. - Planks, I'm mostly doing (although I didn't yesterday because I fell off a small wall and grazed my knee and didn't want to), although I'm not sure I feel they are getting any easier Assassin skills: - Handstands! Pretty good. Mostly doing 30s, and today held it free for 3.5s on the way up My right arm has been a bit trembly though Life: - Same as the last report...

Um, a post from Mitchilich seems to have been deleted, here, accusing me of hijacking the thread, and suggesting I should have PM'ed him. On hijacking - I'm sorry, Marlah21. I wanted to make it really clear to you that that sort of response (i.e. the one to Happytin) isn't characteristic of these forums. And I know what it's like to be in a position where, physically, even the basic bodyweight exercises can be exhausting and painful. I like to think that this is a safe, supportive community, and I felt that 1) the response to Happytin didn't fit with that; and 2) it's important to call out things that feel unsafe/unsupportive. This isn't "hijacking", it's making it clear that some behaviour is not tolerated.

Whoa, this reads like a super uncompassionate response to Happytin. I think they meant that strength training is great but in some contexts (maybe including this one), it's something that needs to be built up slowly, possibly benefitting from some habit-building prep. They weren't saying they didn't like you, or that strength training was bad, just that they didn't agree with you in this context. marlah21 - I have fibromyalgia and OCD, and find it a tricky balance between progressing and making sure not to overdo things. I really hope that Nerd Fitness works out well for you

Yes! AND I managed to say no to really convincingly-presented chocolate from my lovely conductor.

Thanks Dagger. It went WAY better than I expected. I was worried that it would be really hard to eat and sleep enough, but it was all fine

Was away with my choir at the weekend so thought I'd do an update: Diet: - IF still going well, didn't miss anything while away, which is good. This involved not eating/drinking alcohol at a party after the concert. I befriended the dog that lived there instead. - Snacks went well too. Didn't snack much, but when I did I had dark chocolate, an apple, and/or almond butter - Didn't manage to have protein shakes while away but only missed two since I had one when I got back yesterday evening (before 8pm ) Fitness: - Did bodyweight workouts before leaving on Friday and again today, so nothing was thrown off there - Have been keeping up with the planks, apart from Saturday - I was exhausted, my shoulder hurt from inch worms on Friday, and wanted to give myself a proper break Assassin skills: - The same as the planks, I gave myself the day off on Saturday. Gearing up to do today's soon Life: - Softball going well, we one our last game (and I got the last out!) - Sewing is not going well, I just haven't been prioritising it. I'm not too upset about that, though.

See that is EXACTLY why they are secret handstands

Totally achieved goal "Meet up with SpecialSundae" (see attached!) Also fell on my head doing a wall handstand (secretly, at work, yesterday). It was more surprising than painful but I have a bump on my head now! Have still been doing the handstands but do feel a bit more scared. I'm starting to get arm muscles - very exciting. IF is still going well. I'm going away for the weekend for a choir concert, so I'm not sure how things will go when I'm away from all my prepped meals. Am taking apples and nut butter for snacks.