Anyone Else?

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

... Looking to lose a few lbs before their engagement...wedding...or reunion with a deployed husband???

If so? We''re in the same boat and thought we could all use this board to support each other in this endeavour!

 

[Buena Girl]

YES!

I even belong to a gym, but have not gone in a long time. I need something to jump start me back into a regular gym routine.

p.s. For the purpose of losing weight before engagement.

 

[fountainfairfax]

Yes, yes, yes! I''m on a major self-improvement kick!

I''m not "officially" engaged (we have an inherited stone and are looking at settings now) but we are aiming for an October 06 wedding- I just found out my tax refund was direct deposited and now it''s time to get a gym membership. I have a large amount of weight to lose (50 lbs) and want to look great!

I''d like to hear what everyone else is doing to look their best for both their engagements and weddings

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Hey Ladies!

Yay!!!! As some of you know.. My husband has deployed for a year and I thought that I would take the time to "improve" myself. I''ve joined a gym and have started eating more "healthily" would like to firm up, slim down and feel more energetic.

My goals for next week are:

1. Go to the gym at least 3 times
2. Drink 2L of water per day.

What are yours?

 

[Buena Girl]

Right now my goals are:

1. Get 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night. [hasn''t happened in a while]
2. Eat smaller portions of food.
3. Drink more water.
4. Start going back to the gym on a regular basis

I am the type of person who likes to have a gym buddy. It keeps me more on track. The people I used to see often and chat with while working out no longer belong to the gym. Hopefully just talking about it on this thread will help me get back on track. I have a mini IPOD now, and maybe that could be as effective as if I had someone to chat with? Hearing constant music that I like or listening to an mp3 book.

 

[twinkletoes]

ME!

I work out with a trainer 4x''s a week. I just started 2 weeks ago. We weight train mon & thur and tues & wed we box to get my cardio in.

Does it matter that I''m eatting godiva truffles as I''m typing this?

 

[MelissaSue]

yep. I have a good 10 lbs to lose before my wedding.. as I sit here eating hershey kisses.

 

[KimberJEB]

ME! I would like to lose some before my engagement, and quite a bit before my wedding. (Darn "law school and everyone int he world but me getting married" depression and binging, lol).

I would like to:
#1 Workout each day, even if just for 10 minutes
#2 Drink 3 Liters of Water
#3 Limit snacking (this is my bad thing...binging, snacking, etc.)

Daniel and I owe my mom about $7500 - she helped us with some house stuff. SHe has told me she will give me $100 off that for every pound I lose, in 20 pound increments...it would definitely make that easier to repay. Now to get off my lazy, bingey butt...lol

 

[AndyRosse]

Ohhh, can I play along too?

I have at least 15 pounds to lose for a June 2006 wedding!!

My goals are:

1. Start going pilates everyday again...
2. Stop eating all that junkfood from the vending machine at school...
3. Drink lots and lots of water...
4. Stop saying, "Oh, I''ll start tomorrow!!" because before I know it, tomorrow will be my wedding day!!!

Well, I''ll start with those

 

[cute330xigrl]

Me 2.

Goal: Lose 20lbs... Gain 5lbs of muscle. Add definition to my traps, back and arms( plan on wearing a sleeveless dress).

I joined the gym last summer and havent stepped foot in there once.

We need like a "report card" for all of us.. This way if we don''t do it mybe we''ll feel embarrassed enuff to motivate ea. other to get in gear.

So lemme take the plunge and commit myself. I''m going today.

 

[teebee]

Me too me too!! I have a long way to go before I will feel comfortable wearing the dress that I want to wear ~ I want to lose fat lbs & get really toned ~ especially arms, shoulders & back like cutegirl!! I have a "free" gym membership at school and it''s a really nice gym, I''ve gone a few times and been going a lot more regularly these last 2 weeks (since I found the dress I want to wear) but I feel so out of shape and that has been a little discouraging. I feel like I''ve got so far to go!! Goals:

1. Cardio 5x week minimum.
2. Strength training 2x week minium ~ work up to 3x.
3. 100oz water per day.
4. Eat healthier...

#4 is a tough one for me right now ~ I have such a weird schedule and there aren''t hardly any healthy choices at school ~ plus, since I don''t work, my fiance buys most of the food, which is not healthy at all...

Okay, that''s it for now ~ I think that once I lose some of this, I will start going to some of the gym classes (Pilates, spinning) but for right now I''m going to focus mostly on building my cardio endurance up.

 

[allycat0303]

I''m telling you girls, this is a all support board. I don''t have to lose a lot of weight, just 7 pounds to be really happy with myself. I was on Oprah''s board looking for a weight loss buddy. I didn''t want to bring it up here. I love you girls! My goal is to stop binging on weekends. I swear you girls would be DISGUSTED at the amount I eat. Yesturday my boyfriend said to me, "I cannot believe you are still eating."

. How nice. I pretty much have been packing on the pounds because I keep eating psycho on weekeneds.

 

[Blue824]

I promised myself once I got engaged (a ways away) that I''d get myself a trainer. I do gym 3x a week and pilates 3x a week. I''d like to lose about 5lb, flatten my stomach and get rid of the little flab of skin between my chest and arm...Does anyone know what I"m talking about? But seriously, I go to the gym and nothing changes, its frustrating. I''ll probably need to suck it up and get a trainer. The worst thing is, if I don''t go to the gym for a week if I''m too busy, I actually lose weight, then I''m happier seeing a lower # on my scale that I get excited about going to the gym, and I go and then I gain those 5 lbs back because it''s just muscle that I''ve lost, not fat.

Can anyone recommend some good gym routines? What kinds of weights have you incorporated? I usually walk/jog a mile for a warm up, then do eliptical & stairmaster. I know I should do weights, but I''m scared to hurt myself not knowing about them. I think I''ll have my bf show me the next time I see him.

And I''m glad I''m not the only one here who knows she should stop eating as much chocolate! I''ve tried to fill the craving with prepackeged portions, like the 100 calorie oreo crisps bags and the mini bags of M&Ms because those are also 100 calories and I stop when I''ve finished the little pack instead of grabbing another handful.

 

[teebee]

Hey Blue ~ I know how you feel... I''m a slave to my scale as well & it''s really hard to break yourself of depending on what it says rather than relying on the knowledge that body composition is more important than what you actually weigh... If you haven''t done any or much strength training I would HIGHLY recommend working with a personal trainer for something around a month or 2. I hadn''t used weights much so I worked with a trainer and it allowed me to learn all of the excersizes (and how to do them properly) and get familiar with the different machines and muscle groups. So now I''m able to work out on my own w/out wondering if I''m using too much/too little weight, too many/too few reps, etc. Have you ever heard of Body For Life? I pretty much follow that sort of routine & rep system, although not necessarily the same exact excersizes.

 

[cute330xigrl]

Ally: LOL! I know what you mean!! Last week I went out w/ my coworkers for pizza... can I tell you I ate 3 slices! They all said "You wanna tell us something Chris?" I felt (and probably looked ) like Cookie Monster when he shoves cookies down his throat. There''s no hidden agenda, and noo I''m not eating for 2. I just love pizza. Shesh.

Guys are too blunt.

Teebee: That''s one agressive schedule! You''ll look like a "Ms. Fitness" in NO time. There''s a commercial that runs alll the time on DirectTv about some 50yr. old grandma w/ a BowFlex Bod. I mean she looks incredible, but I ques. her age. Moreso, b/c if it''s true... I''d really feel like crap. Out of everything youu wrote, my biggest challenge is #3. I always seem to skip water.

I have to check out "Body for Life" never heard of it.

Blue824: I know that EXACT flab you''re talking about. If you find out the excercise to get rid of it, lemme know. heh

 

[icekid]

yeah, i''m on board too! i don''t have much weight to lose either- i am a former figure skater (like alley!) and i''m sure i will forever compare to the shape i was in when i was skating 5 or 6 days/week back in HS... but still i would like to tone up. and even more importantly, keeping to a good workout schedule is great stress relief in med school! i really like pilates... so i do that, and try to get in cardio 5ish times/week.

but i feel kind of lucky, b/c i am the one girl on the whole planet who doesn''t like chocolate! so at least i don''t have to deal with that monster. sometimes i feel like one freak of a girl though as all my friends gush about how much they love chocolate ANYTHING and EVERYTHING

 

[Buena Girl]

icekid-
I''m a no chocolate person too, and so are my cousin and b/f. I''m terribly allergic to chocolate so I''ll never know what''s like to eat it and crave more. My cousin flat out does not like the taste of chocolate. We used to try to trick him when he was a little kid to see if he would notice, and he always did. He hates the taste. B/f has severe acid reflux and the caffeine in chocolate aggrevates it really bad.

My biggest temptations are mexican food and frappuccinos. They now offer light frappuccinos with lower fat and less calories at Starbucks, so I''ll probably try to get them more often than regular frapps. They taste o.k.

I don''t know what to do about mexican food. I eat it a couple of times a week. Within 10 minutes of where I live, there are 2 Baja Fresh places, a Moe''s , a Chipotle, a Qdoba, and a Taco Bell. Near b/f, there''s a Don Pablo''s and a Taco Bell.

 

[allycat0303]

Hey everyone!

That is what I love about you girls, if it is 5 pounds or 50 pounds, everyone gets support!

Cute330: Oh you are bad. Last night I ate HALF a pizza. And chocolate, and two panckaes with whipped cream and caramel. And a bowl of ice cream. I felt sick afterwards, but it was good!

Icekid: Oh how I wish I could be the same size as when I skated. Those days are long past. I wish I didn''t like chocolate. I eat a piece once a day. If I don''t then I would lose control and eat everything in the house.

For me I already work out 6 days a week (40 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of sit up/ weights/ stretches) I''ve always done that. My problem is the weekends. I go insane. I can''t stop eating. My sister has the same problem. She once ate 13 chocolate bars in one sitting. 13!!! I haven''t done that but I have this amazing ability to shovel the food in. And Chips. I love chips. They are the death of all diet. So my resolution for this week is NOT to binge on any day of the weekday. We''ll start there

 

[Blue824]

Teebee -- I haven''t heard of Body For Life, is it a book?
I try not to go by the scale, but how my clothing fits and looks on me...but sometimes its hard not to get caught up in the #s.

Cute -- hehe if you find the exercise to get rid of that random armpit flab, let me know too. I think I read somewhere that some weights exercises and push ups would get rid of it. I''ll try to find the website or article it was in.

 

[teebee]

Date: 2/13/2005 8

6:40 PM
Author: Blue824
Teebee -- I haven''t heard of Body For Life, is it a book?
I try not to go by the scale, but how my clothing fits and looks on me...but sometimes its hard not to get caught up in the #s.

Cute -- hehe if you find the exercise to get rid of that random armpit flab, let me know too. I think I read somewhere that some weights exercises and push ups would get rid of it. I''ll try to find the website or article it was in.

Blue ~ Yep, Body For Life is a book by Bill Phillips. I thought it provided a really good general guideline for nutrition & fitness. I especially liked the cardio plan which is I guess what I would describe as progressive intensity ~ Basically during a 20-minute cardio workout you gradually increase your intensity in 1-minute increments until you reach your own personal "level 10" then go back down and repeat several times. Logic behind it is that you are always increasing your endurance and so your level 10 one week maybe much higher than a few weeks ago, therefore you are always challenged and your body never gets too accustomed to your workout...

 

[HOUMedGal]

I''m in! Although I have lost about 15lbs. since beginning med school last August, I still want to lose about 10-12 more so that I can wear an 8 in anything I put on...not just the occasional pair of pants that are cut big.

 

[appletini]

I don''t want to lose any pounds b/c then I''ll look anorexic, but I definitely want to tone my body (especially arms). I haven''t been to bikram yoga in a month, so I am determined to go back today. My goal is to go today, tomorrow, and Friday.

If you don''t want to do the hot yoga, I highly recommend the personal trainer...its worth the big bucks. I used to do that for three months at the beginning of the last two years to get me out of my hybernation phase. But my trainer is now in law school and I found Bikram which is so much cheaper for similar results.

And water drinking is key!

 

[njc]

Oh goodness do i need this! Before i got engaged i was like, as soon as it happens, im hitting the gym everyday. Well... then Christmas showed up and it took me until last week to get back on track!

I need to loose about 15 lbs and really tone the stomach and upper arms for my strapless dress... all by May!!!

And honestly, my biggest problem is my thighs. I have tried EVERYTHING and no matter what my age or weight has been, they have been HUGE. I often have to buy a size up in pants just to fit them in.

And dont even get me started about bathing suits and shorts.

I have found going to the gym right after work is the best for me. I dont give myself the opportunity to go home and talk myself out of it. Im really good about eating healthy and drinking water all day. This is another frustrating thing... I eat lean meat, tons of veggies and fruit, plenty of water, limit snacking, and i *still* gain weight.

Another helpful thing (especially if you only have a little weight to lose and/or are lifting weights) is to measure vs. weigh. Because muscle weighs more than fat, you could be gaining weight on the scale, but loosing inches and toning up... so make sure you measure too!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Ok, Ladies- since I seem to have the most to lose (50 lbs is on the low side for me, 75 would be perfect!) I''m going to be turning to you all for support, tips and general wisdom

I''m drinking my water right now and will be joining the gym TODAY!!!!

My basic goals are to:

aerobic workouts (either spin or elliptical) 4x a week
upper body weight training 3x a week
yoga or pilates at least once a week

keep portions in control, keeping an eye on calories- writing down what I eat but not doing the whole W.W. points thing

Wish me luck!

 

[ammayernyc]

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

So excited I found this thread.
I have about 15 - 20 lbs to lose. I would like to lose closer to 30 lbs, but I''m being realistic...

I have a fantastic cardio treadmill workout. I found it in some magazine and it really seems to work (once I get my butt to the gym and actually do it...)

Here it is:

Step 1: warm-up, 5 minutes, speed: 3, incline: 1
Step 2: 2 minutes, speed: 3.5, incline: 3
Step 3: 2 minutes, speed: 3.5, incline: 5
Step 4: 2 minutes, speed: 3.5, incline: 7
Step 5: 3 minutes, speed: 3.5, incline: 9
Step 6: 3 minutes, speed: 3.2, incline: 11
Step 7: 3 minutes, speed: 3.5, incline: 9
Step 8: 6 minutes, speed: 3, incline: 12
Step 9: cool down, 4 minutes, speed: 2.7, incline: 0

This work out takes 30 minutes. However, you can repeat steps 2 - 7 which will add 15 minute increments. I think this is a good workout b/c you burn tons of calories, and it''s not boring. You change something every couple of minutes. It''s also easier to say, ''it''s only 2 minutes, I can do anything for 2 minutes.''

My goal is to do this 2-3 times per week. I also work out with a trainer twice a week and we combine weights and kickboxing. If anyone in NYC is interested in a fantastic trainer, I''ll give you all his information!!!

Let''s all keep up the good work!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Ammayernyc-

I pasted that great workout into my gym folder and will be giving it a try this week! Thanks & good luck!

 

[njc]

Amm - thanks for posting that. I remembered reading something like in a magazine, but couldnt remember exactly what it was. Ive been doing something similar on the eliptical machine...

Machine set-up: highest low setting that works everything (6 on the machines at my gym) and level 8
Warm-up for about 5 min (40-50 revolutions), then pedal as fast as i can for 1 min (at least 70 revolutions or higher), slow down for 30 secs, then as fast as i can for 1 min., and just keep repeating. It really kicks my butt. Lately i have only been able to do for 20 min, i am trying to building up to 30 min though.

 

[goldengirl]

Yeah, me too. I just need to turn about 40 pounds of flabby into 15 pounds of sleek, sexy muscle. So I probably need to drop about 25 pounds overall.

I''ve been doing ok, I''m down 5.5 pounds so far!

 

[blue_chica]

Hi Everyone...yup, need to lose weight here. I''m not sure how much, about 30-40lbs. My biggest problem right now is I have some long-standing ankle problems that make cardio tough sometimes. I love running and haven''t been able to in a long time.

I work with a physical therapist 2x/week, and as of last thurs I will be with a trainer 2x/week + 3 hours of cardio on top of that. I need someone else to be creative and motivating for me right now, getting through a good workout takes everything I''ve got at the moment. I''ve only had a couple of sessions, but so far they kick my ass and are FUN! We boxed today, and I can tell my arms are going to be really sore.

Funny story, BF looks at me last night and grabs his itty bitty beer belly, and goes "I have no idea where this came from, did you notice it? Why didn''t you tell me? I''ve gotta work out harder to look good and ripped for the wedding" What a nut but at least I''ll have a "get-in-shape" buddy.

Teebee, I love BFL! I only do interval training for cardio now...it''s the only thing that keeps me interested on the indoor machines, and that''s all I am allowed to do right now. I''m going to check out spinning too, to mix things up.

Everyone is going to do wonderfully if we stick together and keep our eye on the prize!

 

[jenwill]

Me too! I need to drop at least 30 to feel better, my goal would be 40. Have had 3 knee surgeries on right leg, and last May tore 2 ligament sin my left ankle...so swimming is about my only aerobic option. Luckily, since I left my old travel all the time job, and went back to work at the hospital I used to work at, this should be not a problem. They have a nice large therapy pool that I can use during certain hours...so I don''t even have to ''leave'' work to get to my workout! I am now inspired by you all, and will hold myself accountable tot his thread to report my progress and slips.

WooHoo!