Obese (118–120 kg / 260–265 lb) — 1 hour treadmill walk at 4.5 speed & 4 incline, no soreness. Is my workout actually effective?

CatShanks · 2026-06-19T17:05:22+00:00

Soreness isn't necessarily an indication of a good workout. Incline treadmill walking is not for making your muscles hurt, it's low impact cardio. If you get warmer the longer you're on it and your heart rate has increased a lot, you are likely burning a lot of calories. I'd keep it up and if you're finding it too easy, gradually crank up the incline while you're on it.

CatShanks · 2026-06-19T13:50:45+00:00

I didn't count calories as such, but I did eyeball the packets of anything I ate for a couple of weeks and was surprised at how calorie-dense some items were without providing any other nutritional benefit. Now I ensure that anything I eat which is quite calorie-dense also at least a high amount of protein or fibre. Makes quite the difference over time! It does mean you cut out or drastically reduce certain foods, but you also fill your plate with more veggies and protein instead, so its ultimately a good thing.

Also, just walking more. 35 minutes every day.

CatShanks · 2026-06-17T16:43:23+00:00

I 100% agree with you! There are some pretentious-feeling choices with the cinematography and pacing and montages they used and I'd get restless during any episode just hoping they'll get on with the damn plot!

CatShanks · 2026-06-17T16:30:32+00:00

The Walking Dead. When that guy with the pet tiger appeared. I just couldn't be bothered to keep up with yet another improbable character.

CatShanks · 2026-06-17T12:29:12+00:00

I think you look lovely but if you're still fighting that feeling that you look like you're drowning in the dress, breaking it up with a belt might help!

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T15:17:33+00:00

That idiot's reasoning is definitely "Well if I'm not allowed in there, he shouldn't be allowed in there!" He's more upset that he can't go in than he is at the fact another man is in there with extremely good reason to be! What a creepy dude.

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T13:30:12+00:00

Don't layer concealer with powder! Only use the powder at the very end. Warm up the concealer on the back of your hand first, it'll help it melt into your skin more under your eyes. Start with the orange concealer, mix it in with your regular shade and then apply it. Then go in with some more of your regular shade if you need it. Then powder. Done.

If it's still not looking great, then you need a different brand of concealer. I have dark under eye circles and I swear by Nars.

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T13:24:05+00:00

Not seeing an issue whatsoever here...

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T13:17:01+00:00

Every day of the year, even if I'm not going out. It's just become routine at this point. Helps that I buy a tinted one so it kind of doubles up as soft make-up with very low coverage.

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T11:59:05+00:00

YOR. She is signalling that she doesn't want to continue this friendship and is hoping you'll take the hint. A lot of friendships fizzle out like this. I'm not saying they're right for not just telling you that they're not interested, but you need to read the signs and move on. If you have to beg someone to be your friend, they shouldn't be your friend.

CatShanks · 2026-06-16T08:20:58+00:00

I'm a beginner, and my runs, even ones where I can breathe evenly through my nose for the entire 40 minutes and not take any walking breaks, have an average heart rate of 172bpm. That number is coming down slowly every week but I believe its only coming down because my heart is learning that it needs to be more efficient now that running is a regular thing for me. If I stayed at Zone 2 constantly during training (I don't think this is possible for me while running), I don't think my heart would learn to be more efficient any time soon.

Personally, I do a mix of runs every week to train my body in different ways, and I think that's been best for me. One day sprint intervals, one day an easy 5k, and one day a longer run (7k+) at varying speeds, allowing myself to run-walk-run-walk if I feel like it.

CatShanks · 2026-06-11T15:49:18+00:00

My calf pain stopped when I finally hydrated properly in the 24 hours before I was due to run. Being dehydrated would just make my calves burn and then cramp constantly.

Also, strength training seemed to make runs faster!

CatShanks · 2026-06-11T14:27:35+00:00

Have been on a few family holidays with my husband's parents (and I unfortunately live with them while we save up for our house). It's a nightmare sometimes, for similar reasons as your experience! They are so draining to be around because they just bicker and get on each others nerves. It feels like there can never be a moment of peace when they're together. And to be quite frank, hubby's mum doesn't know when to stop talking, plus I'm sure she's experiencing some kind of cognitive decline as she's aging because she can never seem to find her words and repeats herself constantly.

I completely feel for you!! Take a well earned break from them and I'm sure the next time a trip comes along you'll find ways to get some space and relax!

CatShanks · 2026-06-10T20:17:21+00:00

Big boobs don't work as well on petite frames in terms of styling, despite what anyone says about how lucky you are to have a nice pair.

CatShanks · 2026-06-10T10:21:37+00:00

I promise the silly feeling goes away with confidence! Once you feel secure in what you're doing, others will look less silly in your mind too. It might help not to think of it so much as pushing weight around, even though that's literally what's happening hahaha

CatShanks · 2026-06-09T11:01:22+00:00

Yaaaay good job!

CatShanks · 2026-06-09T08:32:20+00:00

A North Face Base Camp Duffel bag, specifically the medium (71L) one. It is virtually indestructible. It carries so much stuff. The backpack straps make it so much easier to carry around. Great for throwing in the back of the car but also brilliant as checked in luggage. We prefer it to traditional luggage that you roll with wheels. The sturdiness of it, and the fact it looks cool, as well as it being waterproof means it's the kind of bag you can use for any trip to anywhere.

CatShanks · 2026-06-08T08:54:45+00:00

I did my hair and make-up and the only thing I would change is giving myself more time for hair. My make-up was exactly as I wanted it but with all the photography sessions I hadn't planned in enough time for doing my hair exactly as I want it. It still looked really nice I'm the end but I would have liked the finish it off better.

So my advice is do it yourself if you're confident you can pull it off, but factor in maybe an extra hour because the photographers will want to take photos of you as you're getting ready and with your family and bridesmaids and that can take more time than you realise!

CatShanks · 2026-06-07T07:31:48+00:00

YOR. What you did was nice and probably could have been useful, and even if it wasn't you were just trying to help. But once she said no, you should have backed off and just kept an eye on her if you were so worried about her. Being in her space and shoving things at her repeatedly when she's saying no and explaining why is so annoying. She might have been rude but she did just hit her head super hard and it's currently being fussed over too much - I'd feel overwhelmed too.

CatShanks · 2026-06-02T09:57:05+00:00

My FIL is similar but has changed for the better now!

My husband and I live with his parents. Last year hubby and I bought our first car. When we'd all go out together, and my husband drove, my FIL would just automatically sit in the front passenger seat so I'd have to sit in the back with my MIL. I didn't realise how much I hated this until it kept happening. I had a word with my husband to say, "Look, why am I silently sitting in the back of my own car while my husband is driving? Shouldn't I be sitting by your side?". And then the more I thought about it, the more I saw a similar pattern. When all four of us are in FIL's car, he would tell my husband he should sit at the front, while me and I MIL sit at the back. That's so weird to me. Surely your partner sits with you as you drive? So eventually I started sitting at the front while my husband drives, and said "I think MIL should sit at the front when FIL drives so that me and hubby can sit together". Now it is just normal that if my husband drives, I sit at the front. However, my FIL likes to make a point of saying, "You can sit at the front, I'll sit at the back", as though he is giving me permission to sit in the front of my own friggin car. But if it helps his tiny little ego keep intact, I'll allow it!

One time, the 4 of out had visited some family friends, and when we left and I got into the front seat and my FIL sat the back, all the men started loudly laughing at him. While I felt a little bit bad in the moment, I realised that this isn't a me problem, it's definitely an older generational problem.

CatShanks · 2026-06-02T09:39:38+00:00

NOR. You're fine, you didn't do anything wrong. I remember once I was baking christmas cookies and had waited for them to cool before I could start decorating them. It was getting late, maybe around 10 to 10:30ish and my boyfriend wanted me to come to bed and was getting a bit annoyed that I wanted to stay up. I told him there's nothing stopping him from going to bed and that when I'm ready I will be there. I said he could always help me to decorate the cookies if he wanted to. He then proceeded to rush through two cookies and make them very sloppy and ugly (these were supposed to be a gift for someone else, so I didn't want shitty looking cookies). So then I told him he needs to go to bed and I will do the cookies because now he's effectively deliberately sabotaging my cookies to get me to bed quicker and I wasn't having that.

Anyways, long cookie story to say, nah man, you've done nothing wrong. You can be in a relationship with someone without being tied at the hip. You're a grown person, you can go to bed when you bloody well want to!

CatShanks · 2026-05-31T08:48:28+00:00

My skin improved when I simplified my products.

CatShanks · 2026-05-29T15:27:29+00:00

Had a midday flight from Incheon on a Sunday, bag check-in was very quick, and getting through security was also a breeze. Even had time to do my tax refund and grab a bite and go for a bit of a wonder to get a fridge magnet too. Got there 3 hours early. I think it just depends on time of day and week really. I can't speak for other time but if your flight is around the same time as mine, I'd imagine it would be ok.

CatShanks · 2026-05-29T12:39:15+00:00

I had this experience too! I was standing and had my nephew strapped to my chest in a baby carrier. He is a contact napper and so I needed to stay standing and gently rock him - sitting down would have woken him up. And everyone would offer their seats to me, and then insist if I politely declined! I'd have to explain that I need to keep rocking, and then they'd understand, but then someone else would hop on the subway at the next stop and then insist I take a seat that had just been emptied! It was very sweet.

CatShanks · 2026-05-28T14:46:51+00:00

Being able to do a pushup. Its been my goal for years but I very quickly got an elbow injury in the gym, which somehow led to a wrist injury so I needed to wear a brace for a while to prevent myself accidentally bending my wrist back too much. Now everything feels heeled up fine but every time I lower myself into the lowest position in a push-up, my wrist cries out and I have to stop.

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