Weekly Workout Thread 11th Sept till 17th Sept

[Lorelei]

Seven weeks now Rod and I have been off nicotine gum now for 10 days!

It does make a huge difference to how my lungs feel. It is hard to describe it, but when you are a smoker, exertion makes your chest feel as if something has been scraped down your chest passages leaving you very sore and your whole chest feels tight - it hurts and it is unpleasant. You just don''t feel as if you have any breath. Now I can push myself a lot harder and I don''t get out of breath anymore, plus I have a lot more stamina on the machines too and can go faster. It is amazing too how disgusting smokers smell when you quit too, I used to smell like that!

I still get the odd craving but it is very short and sharp now and over quickly, it has been much easier since I quit the nicotine gum as the drug is now out of my body. I am addicted to normal gum now, sitting here chewing as I type!

I think quitting was a bit easier for me as I never smoked in the house because of the cats or in my car. This meant I didn''t have so many triggers to fight which helped.

 

[Rod]

Date: 9/15/2006 10:09:13 AM
Author: Lorelei
Seven weeks now Rod and I have been off nicotine gum now for 10 days!

It does make a huge difference to how my lungs feel. It is hard to describe it, but when you are a smoker, exertion makes your chest feel as if something has been scraped down your chest passages leaving you very sore and your whole chest feels tight - it hurts and it is unpleasant. You just don't feel as if you have any breath. Now I can push myself a lot harder and I don't get out of breath anymore, plus I have a lot more stamina on the machines too and can go faster. It is amazing too how disgusting smokers smell when you quit too, I used to smell like that!

I still get the odd craving but it is very short and sharp now and over quickly, it has been much easier since I quit the nicotine gum as the drug is now out of my body. I am addicted to normal gum now, sitting here chewing as I type!

I think quitting was a bit easier for me as I never smoked in the house because of the cats or in my car. This meant I didn't have so many triggers to fight which helped.

I smoked, my partner did not, so I was not allowed to smoke in the house, or in either car, but that didn't make it easier for me to quit. Addicted is addicted and I tried to quit a zillion times and failed a zillion times. This time was different, I really really didn't want to smell like an ashtray anymore and when I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, I knew if I didn't succeed my health would decline. You just have to be committed to it and this time I was. Like you are committed to it!!!! But trust me, it's easy to fall off the wagon. I've done that a lot and all it takes is one. You just need to vow that you can not have one, not now, not ever.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/15/2006 10:14:07 AM
Author: Rod

Date: 9/15/2006 10:09:13 AM
Author: Lorelei
Seven weeks now Rod and I have been off nicotine gum now for 10 days!

It does make a huge difference to how my lungs feel. It is hard to describe it, but when you are a smoker, exertion makes your chest feel as if something has been scraped down your chest passages leaving you very sore and your whole chest feels tight - it hurts and it is unpleasant. You just don''t feel as if you have any breath. Now I can push myself a lot harder and I don''t get out of breath anymore, plus I have a lot more stamina on the machines too and can go faster. It is amazing too how disgusting smokers smell when you quit too, I used to smell like that!

I still get the odd craving but it is very short and sharp now and over quickly, it has been much easier since I quit the nicotine gum as the drug is now out of my body. I am addicted to normal gum now, sitting here chewing as I type!

I think quitting was a bit easier for me as I never smoked in the house because of the cats or in my car. This meant I didn''t have so many triggers to fight which helped.

I smoked, my partner did not, so I was not allowed to smoke in the house, or in either car, but that didn''t make it easier for me to quit. Addicted is addicted and I tried to quit a zillion times and failed a zillion times. This time was different, I really really didn''t want to smell like an ashtray anymore and when I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, I knew if I didn''t succeed my health would decline. You just have to be committed to it and this time I was. Like you are committed to it!!!! But trust me, it''s easy to fall off the wagon. I''ve done that a lot and all it takes is one. You just need to vow that you can not have one, not now, not ever.

I hear you Rod, I knew there could be no half measures this time, and that this was the only way I would succeed was to know that I could never ever take another puff. I know how easy it is to start up again as I did the other times I quit and failed. This time though I actually don''t think about smoking much, I believe my subconscious mind is " done" with smoking. I don''t think I can ever afford to get complacent about not smoking, I have fought too hard for the freedom I am experiencing now and it is a great feeling to be mentally free of the bloody things

 

[Rod]

Date: 9/15/2006 11:21:00 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 9/15/2006 10:14:07 AM
Author: Rod

Date: 9/15/2006 10:09:13 AM
Author: Lorelei
Seven weeks now Rod and I have been off nicotine gum now for 10 days!

It does make a huge difference to how my lungs feel. It is hard to describe it, but when you are a smoker, exertion makes your chest feel as if something has been scraped down your chest passages leaving you very sore and your whole chest feels tight - it hurts and it is unpleasant. You just don''t feel as if you have any breath. Now I can push myself a lot harder and I don''t get out of breath anymore, plus I have a lot more stamina on the machines too and can go faster. It is amazing too how disgusting smokers smell when you quit too, I used to smell like that!

I still get the odd craving but it is very short and sharp now and over quickly, it has been much easier since I quit the nicotine gum as the drug is now out of my body. I am addicted to normal gum now, sitting here chewing as I type!

I think quitting was a bit easier for me as I never smoked in the house because of the cats or in my car. This meant I didn''t have so many triggers to fight which helped.

I smoked, my partner did not, so I was not allowed to smoke in the house, or in either car, but that didn''t make it easier for me to quit. Addicted is addicted and I tried to quit a zillion times and failed a zillion times. This time was different, I really really didn''t want to smell like an ashtray anymore and when I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, I knew if I didn''t succeed my health would decline. You just have to be committed to it and this time I was. Like you are committed to it!!!! But trust me, it''s easy to fall off the wagon. I''ve done that a lot and all it takes is one. You just need to vow that you can not have one, not now, not ever.

I hear you Rod, I knew there could be no half measures this time, and that this was the only way I would succeed was to know that I could never ever take another puff. I know how easy it is to start up again as I did the other times I quit and failed. This time though I actually don''t think about smoking much, I believe my subconscious mind is '' done'' with smoking. I don''t think I can ever afford to get complacent about not smoking, I have fought too hard for the freedom I am experiencing now and it is a great feeling to be mentally free of the bloody things

You''re my hero!!!! Here''s to our lives, fuller, richer, healthier, longer!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/15/2006 11:24:16 AM
Author: Rod

Date: 9/15/2006 11:21:00 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 9/15/2006 10:14:07 AM
Author: Rod

Date: 9/15/2006 10:09:13 AM
Author: Lorelei
Seven weeks now Rod and I have been off nicotine gum now for 10 days!

It does make a huge difference to how my lungs feel. It is hard to describe it, but when you are a smoker, exertion makes your chest feel as if something has been scraped down your chest passages leaving you very sore and your whole chest feels tight - it hurts and it is unpleasant. You just don't feel as if you have any breath. Now I can push myself a lot harder and I don't get out of breath anymore, plus I have a lot more stamina on the machines too and can go faster. It is amazing too how disgusting smokers smell when you quit too, I used to smell like that!

I still get the odd craving but it is very short and sharp now and over quickly, it has been much easier since I quit the nicotine gum as the drug is now out of my body. I am addicted to normal gum now, sitting here chewing as I type!

I think quitting was a bit easier for me as I never smoked in the house because of the cats or in my car. This meant I didn't have so many triggers to fight which helped.

I smoked, my partner did not, so I was not allowed to smoke in the house, or in either car, but that didn't make it easier for me to quit. Addicted is addicted and I tried to quit a zillion times and failed a zillion times. This time was different, I really really didn't want to smell like an ashtray anymore and when I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, I knew if I didn't succeed my health would decline. You just have to be committed to it and this time I was. Like you are committed to it!!!! But trust me, it's easy to fall off the wagon. I've done that a lot and all it takes is one. You just need to vow that you can not have one, not now, not ever.

I hear you Rod, I knew there could be no half measures this time, and that this was the only way I would succeed was to know that I could never ever take another puff. I know how easy it is to start up again as I did the other times I quit and failed. This time though I actually don't think about smoking much, I believe my subconscious mind is ' done' with smoking. I don't think I can ever afford to get complacent about not smoking, I have fought too hard for the freedom I am experiencing now and it is a great feeling to be mentally free of the bloody things

You're my hero!!!! Here's to our lives, fuller, richer, healthier, longer!!!

You betcha Rod and you are mine- we have done rather well, haven't we?

 

[leeenie]

Re: calculating calorie needs and how much exercise burns, there''s an interesting article in the NYT.

One thing I didn''t realize is that the common way to use estimated calories burned during exercise overestimates the amount of calories you burn in a day, because the calories burned during exercise includes the calories you would have burned anyway (resting metabolic rate). For example, if running supposedly burns 300 calories, you can''t just add 300 calories to your diet to reach equilibrium, because the extra calories you burned through running is actually less than 300 (because you would have burned some calories doing no exercise). So if you are trying to lose weight and "burned" an estimated 500 calories doing exercise, your net calorie deficit for the day, assuming no eating changes, is actually less than 500.

Also, after exercising, you burn from 10-150 extra calories from your higher metabolism. Such a large range, but a nice bonus!


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/12/health/nutrition/12brody.html?ref=health

 

[Mara]

IMO most of this type of estimation is fairly hit or miss anyway because the online calcs and all that don't take your bone structure into effect or what your resting heart rate is or anything else that MIGHT give an indicator of how you already burn calories. some people just have a higher metabolism than others but these online cals can't estimate that. just like they can't estimate if you are big boned vs small boned aka how much of your weight is bone mass and not changing. which is why i take most of it with a grain of salt...but it is helpful to know a 'range' to be aiming for.

my resting BMR is about 1400 calories...aka if i just laid on the couch for 24 hours a day and did nothing. sparkpeople's estimate was to consume between 1700 and 2100 calories per day in order to lose 10 lbs over the next 2-3 months. that's a huge range of 400 calories i can 'give or take' per day...so how do i know which end to be on? for me i just aim conversatively and will just try to consume 1700. since i was previously consuming 1400 and i felt like lately i have been a bit more hungry, adding one more snack in at around 200 calories seems to hit the spot so 1700 sounds like about right for my body's comfort zone as well.

i think the online calcs are super helpful but you also have to listen to your own body...this week and last week it was telling me HEY I NEED MORE FOOD. i am glad i checked into the whole thing again and realized DUH i am working out 3 extra hours per week so of course my body needs a bit more sustenance to function well. i do not want it to start trying to conserve fat rather than burn it thinking we are in a famine situation because i'm not feeding it enough.

teagreen i couldn't read that article...but what day was it listed in NYT? today? i'll see, greg may have access.

 

[leeenie]

Yes, there are so many variables to one''s metabolism that it''s hard to tell how many calories you actually burn and need. I guess you could figure it out by experimenting with different activity levels and eating amounts. What I don''t understand is if your resting BMR is for example 1400, why eating 1700-2100 would make you lose weight? Assuming you are working out and being active, you would be burning maybe 1700-2100 calories a day - so if you ate the same amount, it seems like that would be equilibrium and you wouldn''t lose anything; you would have to eat less than that to lose? (obviously if you are exercising more, and burning more than 1700-2100, then eating that amount should cause weight loss)

The NYT article is from Tuesday - you can read it for free with a free online account. After a week or so you have to pay to read the article.

 

[Mara]

i did the calculations on two different sites...one said TO LOSE WEIGHT i should consume between 1700-2100 and the other said to MAINTAIN weight i'd want to eat 2250 a day. so i figure well if the 2250 is to maintain, then minus out like 300-400 a day so i guess it makes sense to consume between 1700-1900 a day to lose weight.

that is why i say i know it's just an estimate. but eating 1400 was not enough for me with the way i am working out daily. so 1700 sounds like a good place to 'move to' and see how my body feels and if i see any changes. part of it IS hit or miss. even just the 1700-2100 is hit or miss. that's a 400 calorie range. if i eat 1700 and it should be 2100 then i'm losing 400 cal's a day which translates to 3/4 of a lb of weight loss per week.

so according to the sites if i wanted to now maintain my weight, working out 6x a week, i'd eat 2200 a day. if i want to lose, i just minus them out from there depending on how 'quickly' i want to lose weight.

also i wore a heart rate monitor recently to see how many calories i am burning and it was about ~350-400 per cardio workout. so that is what i am using to estimate and it's probably the most accurate for me, since it was programmed with all my personal information and could track my heart rate up and down for an hour.

 

[KimberlyH]

Happy Friday!

Today is my no exercise day so I am well rested for my long walk tomorrow. We''re having hamburgers and salad for dinner. Nothing too exciting to tell!

Lorelei: Have your taste buds started coming back yet? That was one of my favorite parts of quitting. Food is so different now than it used to be for me. And the smell drove me crazy when I smoked, I took 2 or 3 showers a day, it was so nice to not have to worry about that anymore. I have 3 years of not smoking under my belt and my car still smells like smoke at times. Be so thankful and proud!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

 

[Rod]

Today is Sushi day and then tomorrow our training session with the trainer followed by an hour on the elliptical. Sunday, it's the usual 2 - 3 hours in the gym on our own.

If I don't check in again over the weekend (sshhhhh......I reply more from the office

), I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful weekend.

 

[Mara]

brought my stuff to work for the gym...so i''ll go in a few hours.

breakfast was this yummy cinammon oat crunch cereal and soy milk and coffee. lunch was 6 egg whites and a small handful of monterey jack cheese in a lowfat flour tortilla. now i''m eating fresh pineapple from whole foods for a snack, i LOVE super ripe pineapple, esp pre-cut. for dinner we are going with friends to this fave chinese place, they have the best chinese chicken salad and wonton soup. my girlfriend just got a raise too so we said lets go celebrate the two raises of the week. hehe.

hope everyone is having a fab day!!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Date: 9/15/2006 9:49:59 AM
Author: Rod

Date: 9/14/2006 8:18:56 PM
Author: Modified Brilliant
Welcome to our family of health-niks, honeybee

We have all age groups represented here as well as all shapes and sizes

And I should mention that Rod and I represent the male gender but I''m only 49.

Rod is actually going to be 52 but there''s no way you could tell...he appears much younger!

So whatever you decide to do...just do something great for your health and well being!

Good luck

Hey Jeff, so I am really the oldest dude on the fitnees thread eh??? Oh well, I may be the oldest, but at least I don''t have to look or act my age

Rod, ole pal.....That was a compliment....you are doing a masterful job of exercising which in turn makes you appear much younger!!

Keep on TRACKin everyone!!

 

[Rod]

Hey Jeff.....I do appreciate the compliment!! There was a time I was the youngest wherever we went. When did I become the oldest?? Man, how time flies. I''ve just decided the clocks going to work to my advantage!!!

 

[Mara]

okay so went to the gym...and decided i was going to be a POWERHOUSE on the treadmill today. well as much of a powerhouse i could be with a stomachache

...i was feeling snacky at work and ate a package of these chocolate covered sunflower seeds, they are SO ADDICTIVE. well then of course i got the worst stomachache AND felt guilty for eating the whole package. yikes.

so at the gym i did a manual treadmill program where i used the songs on my iPod, and their length to determine what incline i was going to be at and how long...it went pretty well! i played some really great songs that had fast beats and it made it much easier for me to stay at higher inclines. i also realized if i don't swing my arms at my sides it's much easier for me and i think that is how people at the gym end up being able to work at higher inclines. i just rested my arms lightly on the front of the machine where the HR monitors are for hands, and used my legs to walk, i think before using my arms too was totally making me more tired than i needed to be. i kept checking my heart rate and it was at 85% pretty consistently so i know i was definitely working it. i was able to do most of the workout at incline 7-9 which made me feel pretty good. in the end at 58 minutes (52 with warmdown of 6) i burned ~480 calories and walked 3.6 miles! not bad at all considering that my last workout was 55 minutes i think with 5 minutes warmdown and i only burned like 375 calories and walked 3.5 miles. so i burned about an extra hundred calories doing the higher inclines! yay!

i figure the choco covered sunflower seeds are long gone. i'm hungry again so i may have some cereal because we're going for dinner in a few hours. anyway hope everyone has a great night, eat some sushi for me rod!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/15/2006 8:03:11 PM
Author: Mara
okay so went to the gym...and decided i was going to be a POWERHOUSE on the treadmill today. well as much of a powerhouse i could be with a stomachache

...i was feeling snacky at work and ate a package of these chocolate covered sunflower seeds, they are SO ADDICTIVE. well then of course i got the worst stomachache AND felt guilty for eating the whole package. yikes.

so at the gym i did a manual treadmill program where i used the songs on my iPod, and their length to determine what incline i was going to be at and how long...it went pretty well! i played some really great songs that had fast beats and it made it much easier for me to stay at higher inclines. i also realized if i don''t swing my arms at my sides it''s much easier for me and i think that is how people at the gym end up being able to work at higher inclines. i just rested my arms lightly on the front of the machine where the HR monitors are for hands, and used my legs to walk, i think before using my arms too was totally making me more tired than i needed to be. i kept checking my heart rate and it was at 85% pretty consistently so i know i was definitely working it. i was able to do most of the workout at incline 7-9 which made me feel pretty good. in the end at 58 minutes (52 with warmdown of 6) i burned ~480 calories and walked 3.6 miles! not bad at all considering that my last workout was 55 minutes i think with 5 minutes warmdown and i only burned like 375 calories and walked 3.5 miles. so i burned about an extra hundred calories doing the higher inclines! yay!

i figure the choco covered sunflower seeds are long gone. i''m hungry again so i may have some cereal because we''re going for dinner in a few hours. anyway hope everyone has a great night, eat some sushi for me rod!

Great job on the workout Mara! Funny you should mention the sunflower seeds, I have been looking at the plain ones and wondering if I should try them...

Kimberley, yes my taste buds have changed but it seems this week in particular I have been changing my eating habits more and wanting different things. I do feel much better for quitting, just had a nasty craving but I really think these are the pathetic nicotine addiction''s last gasps!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Hi everyone

I saw a wonderful interview on TV yesterday with Bob Barker from "The Price Is Right" TV show.
He''s 83 years young, tanned and trim.
How does he look so good? He said he has been a vegetarian for years and practices karate to stay in shape!

 

[KimberlyH]

Lorelei, I still crave on occasion. I actually dreamed about smoking last night...I was totally conflicted but did it anyways, how silly!

Today is an 18 mile walk and then lebanese food for dinner (we''re celebrating hubby''s b-day) with dinner and George Carlin.

Have a great Saturday ngiht!

 

[Mara]

Good luck on the walk today, Kimberly!!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Have a great walk Kimberley and best of luck tomorrow Coda with the race!!!!

 

[Christa]

Date: 9/16/2006 4:12:44 AM
Author: Lorelei

Great job on the workout Mara! Funny you should mention the sunflower seeds, I have been looking at the plain ones and wondering if I should try them...

I love sunflower seeds in salad or oatmeal! Sometimes I put them in veggie stir-fry, too. Adds a little bit of crunch and some extra fiber and protein.

 

[Lorelei]

I think I will have to try them! I did a Rod yesterday and bought some almonds and mixed nuts - yummy!

....heheheh....I have lost two pounds.....

 

[ammayernyc]

I think I''ve decided enough is enough and am recommiting myself. I didn''t lose any weight at Weight Watchers this week... which is better than last week when I gained 2.4 pounds.

I ate pretty well yesterday but drank too much, as usual. I know that that''s my biggest problem... not an addiction problem, just a weight problem. It''s the same problem I have with food -- if it''s in front of me, I eat (or drink) it. I need to learn willpower dammit!

So, anyway, on the good side, my trainer yesterday had enough of me being tired or not putting in 100% so she completely kicked my butt. We worked out for over 90 minutes (usual is 1 hour) and I was red faced and sweating up a storm. She''s encoruaging me to really journal all my food and to cut down my portions. She promised not to take it easy on me anymore! I''m a little afraid of that, but I know it''s good for me.

Also, now that I''m in school my eating schedule has completely changed. I used to work out, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner... now it looks like I have to eat, work out, have lunch, taste stuff in school (culinary school) and have dinner. Since I''ve never eaten before I worked out, I don''t know what to have. Any suggestions for a very small (otherwise I get ill) pre-workout snack? (Also, not really such a fan of yogurt).

Happy weekend all!

 

[Mara]

hey amanda...my two really frank honest cents is that you are killing yourself working out and then sabotaging yourself with food and drink. why are you working out so hard only to reconsume all the same calories you just burned? if you are really serious about the weight loss, then you should really make some long-term permanent changes in your diet. i recall you drink a lot of wine, like my cowoker. i told you this a while back and don't know if you ever did it, but what i suggested to her was cut back the wine 1/2. drink the same # of glasses but fill them up only 1/2way. you're still getting that mental satisfaction of drinking a glass of wine but it's 1/2 sized. and 1/2 calories too.

each glass of wine is about 300 calories. my coworker does not each much but she consumes 900 in 3 glasses of wine a day. what a waste! that is almost 3/4 of my daily calorie inktake, and on wine! i just can't imagine. and just an update, she has not made any changes in her lifestyle and she still drinks her wine and wonders why she doesn't lose weight.

for me what really changes my eating habits is education. not being able to HIDE from what you are eating and drinking is really important. every time you drink that glass of wine, think about the calories you are consuming. i bet over time you will want to drink it less and less. and doing the 1/2 glass may help also. for me knowing what i am eating or about to eat helps me make smarter decisions because i don't want to sabotage myself.

i find that much of what works for me in a successful manner is playing games with my mind. much of the food 'hangups' that we all experience have not to do with nutrition and sustenance being required but with our MIND and and things looking good, tasting good, feeling good when we eat them. in terms of creating willpower, start playing games with your mind. you can have XYZ if you do ABC. then sometimes after doing ABC, you don't even want XYZ anymore. an example is i used to love taco bell. i still do i guess. i used to have it 3x a week. well immediately i cut back to 1x a week. then none. then whenever i wanted it, i would say well i won't have it TODAY because its just not a good day for it....but i will have it the next time i want it. the next time i want it, i do the same thing. before i know it, it's been like 9 months and i haven't had it! does it mean i never give in? no. sometimes i suprise myself (and my mind) and DO give in to wanting it, and that is just enough to kind of keep me on track, if that makes sense. and i CAN eat in moderation. that is a huge thing to learn.

re: moderation...here is a way that i have found works for me also. i started adopting the suggestion to eat smaller, more frequent meals, esp since i am working out so much. i feel like i am more full when i eat smaller portions more times a day. so lets take HUMMUS for example, a snack i really love. i could easily eat the whole 10oz container of hummus in one sitting. but instead i say okay i'm having this much of it, with this much bread, for lunch. this is my lunch. so i eat it. of course i want more but i stop. and then i go a few more hours and i have a fruit. and then a few more hours and i'm hungry again and it's time for another snack, so i eat more hummus. this way i am getting probably about the same amount of hummus i would have consumed originally BUT i am breaking it up and just making it easier on my body to give it less to digest at once. and i feel like i've had a TREAT because i got to have hummus twice today!! it's almost like i cheated but i didn't. this is what i mean about 'games' and your 'mind' being actively involved with what is going on.

anyway, i know that one day doesn't always work for everyone but these are tricks that HAVE worked for me and HAVE worked long term and i am really pleased i've been able to make the changes in my lifestyle. not for a week or a month just to lose weight but long term just because it's better for me.

so anyway my update...i worked out yesterday morning at class and i don't know if i wasn't warmed up enough or what (saturdays are hard for me since my body is not quite fully awake yet) but i wrenched something in my upper left back, and a muscle is knotted now or something...i have been putting heat on it and massaging it but it's still sore. anyway i have been commanded to not work out today (WAH) and i am hoping i can go again tomorrow....but i don't know! i don't want to make it worse but i am so bummed. and to top it off, when it spasmed or whatever, i was not even in any sort of super aggressive position! it was a basic position like ready to go. totally sucks. so keep fingers crossed that tomorrow it's better and i can start my week the way i want to. i think tonite we are going for a long walk which would be good at least. i can move around just fine but it's just an area of my back that feels sore and if i move the wrong way, it kind of tightens again. ARGH. sabotaged by my own body!!!!!

oh and amanda, for snacks to eat before working out....i like granola or granola bars, i'm addicted to eating high protein/high fiber cereal...you may want to get a protein or natural carb boost before working out, you can eat fruits that you like, sometimes just a banana gives me some extra energy. my trainer told me previously the best thing to eat before working out is natural carbs or proteins, nothing really processed, because it takes your body longer to burn it off and use it as fuel. anything natural or in original states like granola or fruit is easily processed by your body for immediate use in the workout. good luck!

anyway hope everyone is having a fab weekend!

 

[ammayernyc]

Date: 9/17/2006 12:51:15 PM
Author: Mara
hey amanda...my two really frank honest cents is that you are killing yourself working out and then sabotaging yourself with food and drink. why are you working out so hard only to reconsume all the same calories you just burned? if you are really serious about the weight loss, then you should really make some long-term permanent changes in your diet. i recall you drink a lot of wine, like my cowoker. i told you this a while back and don''t know if you ever did it, but what i suggested to her was cut back the wine 1/2. drink the same # of glasses but fill them up only 1/2way. you''re still getting that mental satisfaction of drinking a glass of wine but it''s 1/2 sized. and 1/2 calories too.

each glass of wine is about 300 calories. my coworker does not each much but she consumes 900 in 3 glasses of wine a day. what a waste! that is almost 3/4 of my daily calorie inktake, and on wine! i just can''t imagine. and just an update, she has not made any changes in her lifestyle and she still drinks her wine and wonders why she doesn''t lose weight.

for me what really changes my eating habits is education. not being able to HIDE from what you are eating and drinking is really important. every time you drink that glass of wine, think about the calories you are consuming. i bet over time you will want to drink it less and less. and doing the 1/2 glass may help also. for me knowing what i am eating or about to eat helps me make smarter decisions because i don''t want to sabotage myself.

i find that much of what works for me in a successful manner is playing games with my mind. much of the food ''hangups'' that we all experience have not to do with nutrition and sustenance being required but with our MIND and and things looking good, tasting good, feeling good when we eat them. in terms of creating willpower, start playing games with your mind. you can have XYZ if you do ABC. then sometimes after doing ABC, you don''t even want XYZ anymore. an example is i used to love taco bell. i still do i guess. i used to have it 3x a week. well immediately i cut back to 1x a week. then none. then whenever i wanted it, i would say well i won''t have it TODAY because its just not a good day for it....but i will have it the next time i want it. the next time i want it, i do the same thing. before i know it, it''s been like 9 months and i haven''t had it! does it mean i never give in? no. sometimes i suprise myself (and my mind) and DO give in to wanting it, and that is just enough to kind of keep me on track, if that makes sense. and i CAN eat in moderation. that is a huge thing to learn.

re: moderation...here is a way that i have found works for me also. i started adopting the suggestion to eat smaller, more frequent meals, esp since i am working out so much. i feel like i am more full when i eat smaller portions more times a day. so lets take HUMMUS for example, a snack i really love. i could easily eat the whole 10oz container of hummus in one sitting. but instead i say okay i''m having this much of it, with this much bread, for lunch. this is my lunch. so i eat it. of course i want more but i stop. and then i go a few more hours and i have a fruit. and then a few more hours and i''m hungry again and it''s time for another snack, so i eat more hummus. this way i am getting probably about the same amount of hummus i would have consumed originally BUT i am breaking it up and just making it easier on my body to give it less to digest at once. and i feel like i''ve had a TREAT because i got to have hummus twice today!! it''s almost like i cheated but i didn''t. this is what i mean about ''games'' and your ''mind'' being actively involved with what is going on.

anyway, i know that one day doesn''t always work for everyone but these are tricks that HAVE worked for me and HAVE worked long term and i am really pleased i''ve been able to make the changes in my lifestyle. not for a week or a month just to lose weight but long term just because it''s better for me.

so anyway my update...i worked out yesterday morning at class and i don''t know if i wasn''t warmed up enough or what (saturdays are hard for me since my body is not quite fully awake yet) but i wrenched something in my upper left back, and a muscle is knotted now or something...i have been putting heat on it and massaging it but it''s still sore. anyway i have been commanded to not work out today (WAH) and i am hoping i can go again tomorrow....but i don''t know! i don''t want to make it worse but i am so bummed. and to top it off, when it spasmed or whatever, i was not even in any sort of super aggressive position! it was a basic position like ready to go. totally sucks. so keep fingers crossed that tomorrow it''s better and i can start my week the way i want to. i think tonite we are going for a long walk which would be good at least. i can move around just fine but it''s just an area of my back that feels sore and if i move the wrong way, it kind of tightens again. ARGH. sabotaged by my own body!!!!!

oh and amanda, for snacks to eat before working out....i like granola or granola bars, i''m addicted to eating high protein/high fiber cereal...you may want to get a protein or natural carb boost before working out, you can eat fruits that you like, sometimes just a banana gives me some extra energy. my trainer told me previously the best thing to eat before working out is natural carbs or proteins, nothing really processed, because it takes your body longer to burn it off and use it as fuel. anything natural or in original states like granola or fruit is easily processed by your body for immediate use in the workout. good luck!

anyway hope everyone is having a fab weekend!

Thanks for the frankness!

The problem is that I know all the things to do, I''m just not doing them. I''ve done well so far today, so I''m hoping that new leaf I''m supposed to be turning over will stick!

 

[Mara]

i know you can do it...and knowing the right things to do is part of the battle, but yes doing it is quite another thing! but i think the more you stick with it, even if you have a few screwups, the more ''routine'' it becomes over time. even if i have a bad day or i eat something i shouldn''t have and didn''t plan for or i had 2 pieces of cake for dessert rather than 1 or whatever, i don''t beat myself up about it because i know 99% of the time i am pretty darn good. so i think forgiving yourself is important too. and not letting slip-ups derail you entirely.

one other comment i wanted to make is that journaling food is a great way to really SEE what you are eating, sometimes we can lie to ourselves about what we had that day (or conveniently forget something) but when you are journaling it, it''s like hard cold fact...yikes i just ate that? so i think it''s a great way to become accountable.

we just went to lunch with some friends and i had a blue cheese wedge salad (my fave) for lunch with a baked potato. i put some butter and cheese in the potato with veggies and had a few of greg''s fries with ranch, but i forwent dessert even though i wanted it. i figured well i just ate a bunch of other crap (that was yummy) so do i really need dessert? if i really feel like it i can have a square of creole chocolate later (yum). but i am already ''over'' the dessert craving so i am glad i didn''t get it, because i''d also feel even more full than i do now!!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Overheard at Whole Foods Market today near the "hot food bar"...."Doesn''t anyone cook anymore?"

And that''s part of the problem.... People are taking the easy, fast route to eating and obesity.

It''s not funny and it''s become a huge problem (no pun intended).

Keep on TRACKin

 

[BlueKeet]

Date: 9/16/2006 11:39:51 AM
Author: Lorelei
Have a great walk Kimberley and best of luck tomorrow Coda with the race!!!!

I just thought I''d check to see how Coda''s 1/2 marathon went. I''ll have to check back later for the race report. The 16 mile walk is pretty impressive as well.

 

[lovelylulu]

hey amanda.

hang in there. it sounds like you had a good weekend. a new committed beginning. you can do it.

i agree with mara -- about eating/drinking what you are burning when you work out so hard! although, i''m pretty sure that wine only has about 100-115 calories per glass, not 300, unless someone''s pouring 15 ounce glasses

.

i empathize with you. because i struggle with the same weakness. for me, often times, the way that i socialize lends itself to drinking. i live in a city and enjoy meeting friends out after work or on the weekends. but, for my belly as well as my wallet, i''m trying to curb my evenings out. for example this week, we didn''t go out on any weeknights and just one weekend evening. we have no trouble spending our days doing activities like biking, canoeing, taking in a museum or movie, etc. but when it comes to evenings, if we are hanging out with friends, alcohol is usually present. and i think as i''m moving nearer to my thirties, the ways in which my friends and i socialize will evolve. but for now, like everything else it''s a choice, best in moderation.

good luck!


how was the race coda! i''m sure you were a star

 

[Mara]

lulu you are right!! i could have sworn that in this show i saw recently that they said one glass of wine was 300 calories and i was like DAMN! but maybe i was confusing it with another drink as they went through 3-4 drinks and gave calorie count for all of them. one margarita was 800 calories. i remember THAT one because i was like OMG that's a ton!

anyway i found this online, interesting about it 'adding up' over time:

One 3.5oz glass of wine contains about 80 calories.
One 5oz glass of wine contains about 100 calories.
One 5oz glass of light wine contains about 80 calories.
One 12oz wine spritzer contains about 120 calories.
A wine spritzer with 2oz of wine and 6oz of seltzer contains about 40 calories.
A white wine spritzer with 4 oz. white wine topped with club soda) - 80 calories.

Note on Wine Calories
While a 5oz glass of wine/day at 100 calories may seem harmless, but over two and a half weeks that's approximately an extra 1,700 calories. This is equivalent to about a half a pound of body fat. That's about 10 pounds of body fat, per year.

also i know sometimes at restaurants they do not just serve a 3.5 oz or a 5 oz but a much larger one, esp when it's red wine in those huge bowl glasses. so depending on what someone's idea of 'portion' is in a restaurant, it could be more or less.

i definitely believe that EVERYONE can set their mind to eating better, working out etc....it's just a matter of getting fed up with what you are doing now and then going you know i am tired of this and that's it! i did it...after months of mental hemming and hawing back and forth on if i really needed to etc. but one day i was just tired of my clothes not fitting as well as they could, of looking at pictures where i was 10 lbs lighter and much more fit and thinking you know i am cheating myself by slacking off and eating chicken pot pies 3x a week. i am young and spry and i should be taking advantage of my health and doing what's right for me. doesn't mean i can't have chicken pot pie or ice cream or pizza but it's all about moderation. and if i can do it, and rod can do it, and lorelei can do it, and others on here...as well as out and about, i know we all can do it! YAY! pep talk!

i remember hearing this phrase somewhere and thought it was kind of funny but it is actually true.

"nothing tastes as good as thin feels"

you can subsitute thin for FIT or whatever but the idea is the same.

PS...coda i hope you did great!!!