Oh god, not ellipticals. I hate those things. Never trusted them, and probably never will. If I'm running, it's typically outdoors, and the only time I hop on the stationary cycle is when my joints (usually and ankle or knee) are giving me grief of the "back the **** off" variety. The light free weights are because I broke my wrist a little while back, and I'm not supposed to put more than on them, due to torn tendons and ligaments, which freaking blows. I hate that limit. I didn't ask the doc about sword training, because they can shove off if they tell me I have to give that up, too. I also hate how I basically have to feint most of the strikes with said wrist, since too many hits to the body opponent bag make it swell up or get stupid again. I've been trying to work up to a respectable amount of body-weight exercises, too, since doc said that I could do them as long as I "listened" to my wrist. I really like when all my muscles are tense, and feel heavy, to the point where stairs feel like a challenge, but I know I got it.
I should have clarified the ramen reference. I miscomunicated. That's the kind of eating I'm capable of, but don't engage in anymore (not ramen anyways, as it's been years since I touched the stuff). It was more meant to illustrate the volume of food I tend to consume when I'm getting exercise. Typically, one meal for me consists of a large bowl of brown or wild rice, covered with 15 oz of veggie chili (16+grams of protein) and a can of beans, chicken or fish served on the side, and carrots and spinach as an extra munchie. My bowl is big enough to cover my face and then some, and this still doesn't always fill me up, so I snack throughout the day. Right now I'm eating wild rice, chicken, asparagus, carrots, some potatoes, and beans. Breakfast is eggs, spinach, and more brown rice.
I try to eat clean most of the time, because I don't want my arteries to be all gross and heart-attack prone, but that's just for the whole internal health thing. Every now and again I'll get a massive unhealthy something or another and not care at all.
I've never worried about "spot trimming" or whatever. I don't think I've ever heard of it, or if I did, I figured it was silly and rubbish. Like you said, if you want to get rid of fat, do the cardio. But then again, I am ex-cross country, and that kind of sets and example of what cardio does. No, I no longer belong to the cult of distance running, but that's because I like having muscle mass.
On the pump, I can't help but feel this is too appropriate not to link.
Link to original page on YouTube.
Thanks for the diet input though! I really appreciate it. It was getting to the point where I thought I was doing something wrong since I dropped some weight, but maybe I just need to up the volume of intake. And more water. I can always use more water.
Also, I just got back from a jog with a friend, because she needed motivation. Don't worry, I'm not overdoing the cardio. Her pace was such that I could sing obnoxiously the whole time and still hardly break a sweat.