Posts by placidscout6

abs



and back



making slow progress 🙂

Well, I’m finally back after quite a stretch... though calling it a "break" might be generous—it was more like a six-month hiatus where I occasionally squeezed in a workout here and there. It wasn't exactly productive, to put it bluntly. Now, I am officially getting back into a disciplined routine. 😁
My objectives: increasing strength (specifically pull-ups), building muscle mass, improving cardiovascular conditioning, and incorporating yoga for mobility.

This photo was taken exactly one year ago—I took it under the naive assumption that I would immediately jump into a consistent workout routine and so on... but I didn't. 🤣
I finally got serious and started on March 1st, and honestly, I’m proud of myself for actually sticking with it this time—hopefully, I won't quit again.

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And here is a photo from today. I’m happy because at least some changes are becoming visible. During the first month, I was training quite hard—about 5 or 6 times a week. Now it’s maybe a bit less frequent, 3 or 4 times, but that’s fine; I plan to ramp up the intensity again. I’m hoping to see much more significant progress by next summer and perhaps pack on a little more muscle mass.

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My arms and core have definitely strengthened a bit... though it doesn't show much from the front, so I won't bother posting photos of that. :P

By the way, what do you all recommend for toning and getting rid of that little bit of extra skin/fat right under the glutes? I'm not sure if it shows clearly here, but it really bugs me. Is strength training essential for that, or should I focus on cardio?

Edit: Actually, I'll post the front view after all, because I want to know how to broaden my upper body—specifically, is it possible to make everything look proportional? I am quite narrow on top. Should I just focus on working my arms, traps, chest, and back to balance things out?

Does anyone actually know if you can use standard emergency contraceptive pills—the "morning-after" kind—more than once in a short window? I think I read somewhere that you could take two doses immediately, and then another two after twelve hours or something along those lines?

I don't quite grasp what you all mean by "lumpy"... personally, I experience more of a "clumpy" sensation—though, frankly, I have no clue what the texture is actually supposed to be like. Also, one question that might be out of place here—I've noticed a little bit of bleeding during oral sex over the last few times. I'm not sure if that's happening because things are getting a bit too aggressive, or if there's some other underlying cause at play?

Here are some photos from today—feel free to give me some honest feedback on what I should be focusing on more..
I keep telling myself I'll stay consistent—I try to train every single day—but it’s tough 🤣. Before that rainy week a while back, I was actually hitting it hard for seven days straight; I was sticking to a strict schedule of running three times a week and doing strength training four times a week. Then life happened—the weather turned, I couldn't get out for my runs, and I just lost all my momentum. That’s been the pattern for most of the year... I’ll have a few days where I’m really on it, and then I hit a plateau
. Now, seeing how I look in this swimsuit has given me that spark to start training daily again 😳

In my opinion, my upper body looks pretty weak compared to my lower half (which isn't exactly perfect either)... specifically my arms, rather than my chest or back
. As for my legs, my main concern is my inner thighs—my quads are starting to show a bit, but there's nothing happening on the inside
. What should I do to tone down the upper body—essentially turning that fat into muscle—and build up my lower body since it looks a bit hollow right now? 😬

Edit: 5'8"/115 lbs... I know I need to put on some mass, but we'll see how it goes
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http://img33.imgur.com/i/sdc1690557.jpg/
http://img14.imgur.com/i/sdc1996906.jpg/
http://img6.imgur.com/i/sdc1666908.jpg/

Has anyone here undergone rhinoplasty at a major hospital like Johns Hopkins? Specifically, which surgeon would you recommend, and what was your overall experience? Also, is it necessary to see an ENT first to determine if there’s an actual septal deviation? My plan is to get that checked out—if a medical issue is found, I might be able to get the procedure covered by insurance... but if it's purely cosmetic, does anyone know the typical out-of-pocket cost at these hospitals? One more thing—is an overnight stay mandatory, or can you head home the same day?😕

Ashley Fox84 said:A deviated septum isn't something you diagnose yourself—that’s what an ENT is for when you head into a hospital like Mayo Clinic because you can't breathe properly. You can only speculate on your own. Plus, if you have decent health insurance, the surgery shouldn't cost you a dime.

Fine, so I won't be paying for a septoplasty... but let's say I don't even have a deviation. Let's say I just want the surgery for purely aesthetic reasons. In that case, I'd likely be footing the bill myself. Does anyone actually know roughly how much that would run at a hospital?

I’m looking for some insight—does anyone here actually know what the typical cost is for a nose surgery at a hospital? Furthermore, how does one even determine if they're dealing with a deviated septum in the first place?

Could someone please explain the protocol for a health inspection? What exactly are they looking for? I’ll be working in the fast food industry...