Thursday 6/23 Workout Thread

[MissAva]

I felt like a slacker this morning. For some odd reason even though I was fully awake and there was no chance of my going back to bed I really did not want to get up.

I dont know why. So I ended up having to cut my morning routine a wee bit short (that and Ava got another squirell...ewww). So I only went 2.72 miles this morning. I am determined to still go tonight. I got on the scale and I my my weight is increasing steadily...175. Beh. I hate being so fat.

 

[ammayernyc]

I feel your pain.
I went shopping yesterday because there was a big sale, and I had to buy all these clothes in a size larger than I usual do. Very depressing. But I figured that WHEN I lose the weight I can get them tailored and that I might as well look good now, otherwise I''ll just get more depressed.

A good friend of mine told me to ask my bf when we were getting engaged and married so I can make sure to lose the weight by then.

I''m a little afraid of the answers though...

I did my 30 minutes this morning, but it won''t make a bit of difference if I don''t stop shoving my face full of food! Everyone tells me to try the low-carb thing... has that worked for anybody? I''m not such a carboholic, but I do like my morning bagel!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey ladies - very proud of myself for squeezing in the gym in the middle of the day today because I have a really long experiment today (like 10-12 hrs worth). Amanda - I think that South Beach type low carb can be beneficial, not so much Atkins type. I don''t agree that you should cut carbs super-drastically (i.e. less than 20 grams a day) because that can lead to ammonia build-up in your system, but trying to cut out all refined carbs for a while can really help - that''s the principle behind weight watchers Core Plan, which I''m on now (and 16.5 lbs later it seems to be working so far ::fingers crossed

. It can be really tough at first, but if you substitute all your white products - white rice, pasta, white bread, etc... with whole grains and veggies, I think it can really help. I thought it would be horrible because I''ve alwayd been a pasta addict, but you get used to the taste of the low-carb/whole wheat varieties and then its not so bad. Worth a shot, right??

 

[MissAva]

AP- my aunt lost 85lbs on Atkins and my dad lost about 50-60 lbs. I want to do it but I seriously lack the will power....I am a carbo loading kind of girl. But if you have the strength to stick to it, it works.

 

[MissAva]

I managed to drag my sorry bum another 4.7 miles around campus and play fetch with Ava for a bit. She is conked (sp?) out on my pillow now....me next!

 

[AsscherGirl]

Hi Everyone,

I''m new here, but I posted a reply in the "introduce yourself" thread if you want to know more about me.

This is one of my favorite threads. You guys are so motivating & dedicated to your work outs.

I don''t want to sound preachy or anything, but I have some advice for you all trying to lose weight (based on my own personal experiences):

AmandaPanda made a great point in saying that all the exercise in the world won''t matter if you don''t watch what you eat. I could not agree more! I know that I could exercise for hours & hours, but nothing will change for me unless I don''t eat a whole bunch of crap.

Re: Low Carb/No Carb Diets: I agree with AmberGretchen that a super low carb diet can be damaging to your health. I truly believe in cutting out refined sugars & staying away from cookies/candy/white bread, etc. However, I don''t think that you need to completely cut those things out of your diet. Depriving yourself is the easy road to a binge of ice cream & sprinkles . I know that when I eat a dinner with all whole grains, vegetables & lean protein my body feels so much better. I also don''t feel groggy or tired; I actually feel GOOD after I eat. I think it''s really about finding what works for you.

Also, I have found that although cardio makes me feel like I''m doing a lot of great exercise, I have found that weight lifting works a lot better. I do cardio, but I spend the majority of my workout with the weights. It''s the only thing that I find to actually change/tone my body. It may not be for everyone, but for those of you who are tyring to lose weight & feel like you''re not getting anywhere, I would definitely suggest trying some lifting.

This is extremely long, but one more thing. Matatora, don''t get down on yourself too much for gaining some weight. I know this is probably an odd question coming from a stranger, but are you near "your time of the month?" I know I always gain a few pounds from water weight & although it''s depressing, it usually goes away. You are so dedicated to your workouts; keep going! My only suggestion is to re-evaluate what you''re eating & see if there''s anything you feel like is "waste" and you could definitely live without. Maybe that small dip in calories will jump start the scale in the other direction!

Good luck ladies! Keep up the great work!

 

[ammayernyc]

I''ve been psyching myself up to do a lower-carb diet, but two major things are holding me back:

1. Sushi
2. Alcohol

I eat sushi at least twice a week, usually more. I''ve tried to eat it without the rice, but it just gets gross after a while. As for the alcohol, I drink more than I should (calorie wise, not I-have-a-problem wise).

I did my 30 minutes again this morning. My shin splints were acting up like crazy though! Anyone have any solutions to that?

As for my new weekly present for exercising, my bf got me a tennis lesson. That would definitely be a fun thing to get into, especially since it''s great exercise on it''s own.

 

[MissAva]

Awsscher Girl welcoem to the wonderful world of the daily workout thread...I forgto to post this morning..oops!

AS for your question, no worries it doesnt embaress me. But no I am not anywhere near mensus. I take extra OCPs to avoid that nonsense. I worried about gaining weight from that at one point until I found out that the weight gain mentioend was less then half a pound! So that is a silly excuse...plus I have been on OCPs forver. I watch what I eat for the most part, if I am in the same states as my BF I will relax things a bit so he can take me to dinner. I am in AL now and I am keeping my calories low and eating lots of no fat yogurt

. I lift weights almost every day but lately I ahve been doing an odd mix of routines so I am not posting about that cuase it is not proven yet. During the school year I go to the gym daily and do an hour of weights with my trainer to keep me in line and pushing. I am sorry if I come across as a downer, I hope I am not hurting your or anyone elses motivation. I certainly dont mean too. I get frustrated when I cant do what I want and am actually making an effort. Beh.

Time to start bothering people about GBP again...Or maybe I will just cut off my stomach. Oh well time to hit PyschInfo.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey Asscher Girl - thanks for joining the board and for the advice, which I think is mostly excellent. I do think that different types of exercise are important for different people. Personally, I find that weight lifting helps some, but that intense cardio is essential for me to lose weight - I have a naturally high level of muscle and I build it very easily (I''m actually one of those rare women who does have to worry about "bulking up" if I lift too much

). As you said though, everyone has their own things that work. I also couldn''t agree more about feeling better when I eat well - I had a splurge a couple of weekends ago, and I was sick all night afterwards because my body just couldn''t handle it!

Amanda - I think the sushi is workable. The trick is to try to not eat very much of it. When I got for sushi (usually at least once every 2 weeks), I get edamame, which have protein and help fill you up, plus a salad with healthy dressing and some miso soup. Then at most 2 rolls (6 pieces each), and if I''m hungrier than that, some other veggie dish - they often have a yummy steamed spinach option that can work well, or if I weren''t a vegetarian, chick or salmon teriyaki with sauce on the side would work too. Also, Whole Foods market and some other markets sell brown rice sushi, which is really good, and a great lunch or dinner option with some veggies/salad or plain soup on the side. Also, avoid anything fried in the sushi, and go for lighter, plain fish types. Alcohol is a bit more difficult, but I think its a weaning thing and a question of finding some lower-cal options - avoid things like margaritas, in favor of things like Diet Coke and Vodka, or better yet wine. Drink 1 glass of water between each drink and really think about whether you want another one or whether a sparkling water or diet soda would really be just as good but still give you something to be working on. Anyway, I hope that helps!

Matatora - you are not discouraging me, and I think this board is about trying to support each other through both ups and downs in our weight-loss attempts. I am sure that things will turn around for you eventually, it will just be a question of finding a combination of diet and exercise that works, which can be harder than it sounds (as I know from long hard experience). I encourage you to keep posting - I think its good to have a public forum to track your progress (even if there isn''t any), and to have support regardless.