Weekly Workout Thread 16th Oct - 22nd Oct

[Lorelei]

Happy new week all!

I hope you all had a great weekend, also exercise and foodwise. I fitted in some cardio this weekend, I have a sneaking feeling I am getting addicted to it, and the results of course! I am going to get some more new jeans next month and will be down another size which is good!

However SKINNY JEANS will NOT be on the agenda

I have been buying up new sweaters for Fall and Winter, found some nice cashmere ones and everyday roll necks in jersey fabric which are easy to fit now I no longer have the odd bulge or back bacon to worry about

So all in all, the work I have put in has been so worth it. Nice when you can say that. We didn''t get the weight set this weekend as the guy had to go out, but hopefully soon, and we will be calling the store to see when our multigym will be repaired, we miss it and especially poor Hubby does. So things are going well.

Have a great week everyone

 

[ammayernyc]

Good morning ladies.

I''ve been kind of lacking in all areas lately. Not sure why since now that I''m acutally engaged I have a goal to work towards. But my trainer is working hard with me and trying different things. She''s told me to keep a food journal for her to review (no judgements) and is going to go to her boss and see about getting me a nutritionist. She also suggested I look into Overeaters Anonymous. I need to do something to change my habits...

I worked out with her on Saturday and she totally kicked my butt. I was so sore yesterday. I saw her again this morning and had another hard workout, although not as bad. I''m going to try to drag myself tomorrow morning since it''s a no trainer day. I''m feeling good at the start of this week though!

 

[akw94]

Good morning

Lorelie.. wow! You are doing so well.

Amanda, I can relate. That''s good that you have a trainer that is working w/you, not just sticking to a basic routine. The food journal sounds like a good idea. For me, it''s finding that personal motivation and for whatever reason, mine just isn''t there on a regular basis. Then, of course, it gets me down b/c I realize that finding 30-45min a day to exercise or not eating that cookie or whatever just shouldn''t be that hard. But it is! So I''m still working at it. I worked out last night, in the hopes that starting early in the week will help me. I started late last week and only did 2 days, but the week before I started on Sunday and did 5. So 1 day down for me so far. Tonight is a gym night.
The scale said I lost .4 lbs from last week. Not quite what I''d hoped for but at least it''s something. Of course, I had a bag of bunch of yogurt covered pretzels and a taffy apple this weekend so that teensy bit of weight loss is probably gone.
Oh well, it''s a new week and off to a good start so far!
I did have a good weekend though, pumpkin picking w/my son and we roasted the pumpkin seeds...fun!

 

[appletini]

Well its bad weather in Houston, Texas and we were told we can leave early today. I happen to live less than a mile away so I''m at least going to to the total body training class during lunch and then leave b/c I don''t have good enough excuse not to, except to watch Y&R...but thats what soapnet is for.

Amanda,
I have a bad tendency to snack too. Stock your fridge with healthy snacks like carrots, grapes, and clementines...they''ll be right there when you open the door. Also if you tend to buy lots of cookies, etc, one of my rules for that is if I want cookies/cake bad enough then I have to take the time to make it myself from scratch...so if I don''t have the time then I don''t get to eat it.

 

[JCJD]

To recap my goals for this week from the last thread:

Workout 3 times this week instead of 2 times.
Lose one pound to get below 150 lbs (today I weighed in at 150.5 again).
Keep up my fruit and veggie intake and try to increase it. Realistically it''s about 3 servings/day and it should be more like 6 servings.

Today I just took the bus in to work (my bike is here at work with me) because I woke up with a killer headache from surfing the net for plane tickets without my glasses on last night. This evening I''ll bike home. I''ll let you all know tomorrow whether or not I actually pop in a workout video this evening too.

 

[Mara]

morning ladies!!

personal motivation is just so...personal! it is so personal for everyone. for me it took me a really long time to get that motivation kicked into drive. for a while it was mostly on neutral. i was doing things but not enough. and i wasn''t really ''making time'' in my day the way i should have been.

rationally you think well hello 30-45 minutes out of a day is not hard to find to make some time to burn some calories. really. that''s what the FDA or whatever suggests right? so why can''t we all do it? i have managed to eke out the time in my days but that might change when i start my new job on wed. it might be harder to stay motivated because i might just want to go home after a long day, and spend time with greg and portia rather than sweating it out at the gym or kbox.

anyway...for me the best personal motivation is knowing what i CAN look like. i think that was a big deal for me. i was looking at some pictures from our engagement party in 2003 a year or so ago and going wow i looked really damn good. and then i remember thinking i had to lose some weight but in reality i was golden. so i thought well i really know i don''t look like that now, maybe about 10-15 lbs of FAT aka chicken pot pies that are hanging around. so then i thought well why shouldn''t i look like that?! i mean i am young right? well 31. but young. and spry. and fit. and really i had the time to do it. and i should have been eating better anyway. so what was stopping me? did i really want to be one of those stereotypical americans who ate large portions and wore even larger clothes? at my age? with no kids so it''s not even like i had an EXCUSE to be carrying around extra weight. really, what was my excuse? nothing. laziness.

so really...i had to get off my ass. that was just it. and eat better...which everyone should be doing anyway. i decided that i didn''t want to be 10 lbs overweight or whatever, i wanted to wear clothes that fit me, wear the clothes in my closet, feel proud about my body. feel proud about my accomplishments. and i think that was the best motivator for me. i get mostly internal motivation. having a trainer telling me what to do would irritate me.

but amanda it''s good that your trainer is working with you to try to get you help...proactive and all. have you really tried to examine WHY you can''t seem to get it in gear mentally?? you are going through the motions with the phsyical exertion but your heart doesn''t seem in it and if you haven''t changed habits for lifestyle eating then it is all a moot point almost. anyway, i had to really kind of figure out why i was so neutral and what was holding me back.

for me i do have pitfalls, i don''t want to make it seem like ''oh it was so easy for me''. it was really hard. but i made small changes over a period of time. i cut out all fast food. i then cut out all soft drinks. then i worked out 1 extra day a week. then i started eating more fiber. then i started eating more fruit. it was a really gradual process. doing it all at once might not have worked for me. my biggest downfall is keeping sweets in the house. so we just don''t do it. i can''t even imagine you gals who have to keep cookies and stuff for the kids and hubby....my kids won''t be getting that. hehe. our house has one vanilla container of dreyers ice cream for pies and stuff for gatherings, 2 specialty dark chocolate bars for breaking off a square or two and that''s about it for sweets. oh and sometimes i get greg a sugary sweet cereal. it actually tastes icky most of the time to me. sure i have the makings for some yummy cookies and cupcakes in the pantry but that would require making them KNOWING i''d be eating them. so that doesn''t happen. so for me that is a recipe for success...not having stuff to tempt me around the house. not just sweets but yummy fatty foods. if i make my famous spinach artichoke dip for a party and we have leftovers? i throw it away. or keep a tiny amount for greg. i won''t put it in the fridge because i know i''ll want it as a snack. i did that last time and i snacked on it for 2 days then tossed it. what''s the point really?

anyway i''m babbling now but my point is that people have to address what mental issues they might have holding them back, and also set themselves up for SUCCESS not failure. if you know you have weaknesses, don''t give into them and keep them in the house or in the desk at work. don''t take money for the candy machine at work. whatever. i ADORE oreos but i could eat 1/2 the bag of them because i just love them that much. the last time i had them was probably about a year ago because of that. i just love them too much to have them in the house.

good luck to all of us that we stay on the straight and narrow. does being healthy mean you can never indulge? no way! but it''s when you are indulging more often than you can work out and burn off whatever you are eating that is bad for you. and it''s that kind of push and pull that would mentally discourage me. so try to set yourselves up for success by doing the things you know are right and IMO eventually they will become a part of your regular daily lifestyle. i actually crave my high fiber cereals now because i know how beneficial they are to me and they make me FEEL better. it''s funny.

have a wonderful day everyone!! i''m going to the gym this afternoon.

 

[mrssalvo]

well, I''ve gone 4 days w/out a coke which is a record for me. It''s been really hard, much harder than I thought but I''m glad I''m doing it. Not only b/c of the suger but all the acid in there that just eats away at the calcium in our bones, which I need to keep in order to not look like the hunch back of notre dame when I''m 50. Getting in a good 45 min. walk and planning on joining the gym this week. I''m getting ready to go out to lunch am i''m going to eat only a salad, no fries ( a restaurant weekness for me) and a get a big glass of ice tea. it will be southern sweet tea and that will be next to go but I just can''t give it up yet

I''m also going to try out a new spanish chicken recipe tonight from my cooking light cookbook. hopefully hubby will like it too.

good luck today gang....

 

[Mara]

you can do it mrs salvo!! at least the sweet tea will keep you going in leiu of fries. that is basically what i did too. small steps. and i think they do add up eventually to make a difference. but it''s less painful that way.

 

[appletini]

I went to my class and I''m glad I did...I definitely feel an improvement with my endurance and breathing since last Monday. I have also noticed that I do have a lot more energy during the afternoon when I exercise during lunch...I guess because it breaks up the day more than socializing in the cafeteria.

Mara,
I saw the Marie Calendar''s chicken pot pie commercial last night and I thought of you. I have several CPP recipes that I have been wanting to try. Maybe that could be an activity with you and Greg...if you want it bad enough y''all can make a kitchen date and make your own. One of my books has recipes for individual ones complete with putting your initials in dough on the top.

 

[Mara]

actually appletini...pass them on over!! i''d love to see them. jorman was telling me about a fab one she has so i think we are going to try that one too. but i just love the idea of the mini one as well because then it''s easy to implement portion control and my dinners are typically ~600ish calories anyways now that i am working out more so i dont feel bad eating a small one!

also i have had many a CPP at wonderful restaurants but i don''t love any of them as much as the MC ones. hehee.

 

[Rod]

Hey Everyone.........

Look's like everyone's off to a good and healthy start to the week. I was pleasantly pleased to see that my foodgasmic weekend put no extra weight on me at all. I did eat more than usual, but did not snack and in looking back at what I ate, it was fairly healthy fare to begin with.

Nothing new on the job front which is disappointing. It's tough out there at my level. I have to keep reminding myself that I have a lot of experience and some lucky company will recognize what I could do for them. The question is WHEN will someone notice? I'm not, as you all have come to know, a very patient person. So now three weeks into my lay off, I'm getting more anxious about the future.

So, today is run day. I'll go for a 5.7 mile run later this afternoon. It's a beautiful day here in Tampa. Low humidity, nice breezy conditions. After my run, I'm meeting Charlie for Sushi since we didn't get to have any over the weekend.

AmandaPanda..........sounds like a good beginning. Changing your eating habits is hard, but you have to be dedicated and want to make the changes on your own. I know you can do it. Appletini offered great advice. Stock your fridge with healthy snacks.

Mrssalvo..........good for you not having a coke for 4 days. Everytime you want one, remember coke can remove the buildup from your car's battery and if it can do that, just imagine what it can be doing to your stomach and intestines.......ugh. Plus, just not having the sugar is a great way to lose some weight. It's simple math. Burn more calories than you consume and weight will be lost. Great to hear you'll be joining a gym. Get a personal trainer who can really help you target specific goals.

Anyway, happy Monday everyone. Here's to another healthful week for all!

 

[hlmr]

Happy new week to everyone!!

I haven't been posting lately....been in a bit of a fall funk, but I am still getting out for my walks and eating healthy during the week. On the weekends I have been allowing myself some special treats but all in all I feel good about what I am putting in my body.

My son asked me on the weekend why I don't go to the gym anymore. I told him I got a bit bored with the same old routine and I needed a change. It has been quite a while, but I am feeling the need to go back....especially for the weight training. I also used to love the spinning classes and the tai-boxing classes at my gym and am starting to miss them.

I will be 40 in March and I know I could look better and feel stronger than I do right now. So, the time to start is now!

Sounds like everyone is on track and doing well.

I hope those of you that are dealing with changes and stresses in your lives right now, are coping okay and adapting to what is happening. It is also great to see new people posting!

 

[appletini]

Mara,

The personalized CPP from the Bride & Groom''s first cook book which is available at Crate & Barrel. If don''t have it already I highly recommend it...I haven''t been disappointed so far...

 

[Mara]

Date: 10/16/2006 3:02:04 PM
Author: appletini
Mara,

The personalized CPP from the Bride & Groom''s first cook book which is available at Crate & Barrel. If don''t have it already I highly recommend it...I haven''t been disappointed so far...

haha how funny! that is totally the one that Jorman has I think. She was telling me about some B&G cookbook she had. She said she loved the recipes from it.

 

[appletini]

Mara,

LOL! Right now on Foodnetwork Ina Garten is making CPP on her show...its a sign!

 

[Rod]

I had a great run this afternoon. Since running is new to me, I''m getting better and better at pacing myself. When I first started running, I thought it was like a race and I''d poop out way too quickly. Now I know how to push at times and hold back at others. The 5.7 miles went by in a few minutes less than an hour. So, I''m doing 10 minute miles, which for an almost 52 year old man who quit smoking just 15 months ago and who was overweight and sendentary his entire life, is really good. I plan to add another mile to my runs starting next week. This way, I know I''ll have no trouble doing a 5K sometime and maybe, just maybe a half marathon is in my future. I never ever dreamed at my age that I could feel and look so good. When I had a massage this weekend the massage therapist thought I was in my early 40''s. How cool is that???

Tomorrow is a gym day. Have to alternate and work the muscles some too. My arms have become vascular lately. It''s interesting to see veins when there was just fat before. My legs are incredibly toned too. It''s just unbelievable how much one can do in one year. Now, in my second year of working out, I can continue toning and building muscle. I may be unemployed, but at least I can be healthy and look good!! LOL

We went to a new sushi restaurant tonight. It was really really good. We''re lucky that there are no less than 5 excellent sushi restaurant near our condo. Since that''s pretty much all we go out for anymore at least we can enjoy the variety each has to offer.

Anyway, I''m rambling. I hope everyone had a great Monday and here''s to a good Tuesday.

 

[Curls]

While I haven''t been active on the thread the past several days, I have been doing very well. In fact, so well, that it seems to suck up a lot of my time. I know I''ll get faster at things as I get more used to things. Right now I spend a ton of time trying to find healthy recipes and planning my meals. Also, in the middle of all of this, my job switched it''s out time. Now I work ten hour days. I''m not liking it because even though I get an extra day off, I just don''t have much time on the days I do work.

I went walking 6 times last week instead of the 4 I had planned! I didn''t walk super fast, but I did walk enough to feel it but not be worn out the next day and want to give up. I was so enthusiastic about being healthy all last week. I looked at a ton of articles to motivate me, and I just could not stop bragging about myself to my boyfriend. Poor him.

I''ve lost 6 lbs in a little over two weeks. I know that first week that I lost so much was just water weight, so I don''t feel that excited. My boyfriend would be very unhappy if he knew I were even posting about the number. He keeps telling me it''s not about the numbers, it''s about being healthy and happy.

He''s right, but it''s hard to follow that thinking sometimes. I had a little emotional breakdown the other day on the scale because I didn''t loose what I thought I would for the second week. I know that''s illogical and I know all the reasons why I shouldn''t have been upset, but I just could not control myself from feeling bad. But I feel better now, I''m over it. He took the scale away from me too. I don''t know where it is. Hopefully he''ll let me weigh myself next week.

We''ve also set up a reward system. He''s suppose to surprise me with a reward if I do all my scheduled exercises and eat sensibly for a week. We wanted to do something that would reinforce my healthy activities not weight loss because sometimes you just don''t loose no matter how hard you try. I doubt we''ll keep it up for long, but I''d like to keep doing this for motivation until exercise and healthy food just becomes habit.


Mrssalvo...Here''s another reason to not drink coke. The acid is bad for your teeth and gums, which (along with other unhealthy oral habits) can lead to gum disease. If you develop gum disease, your more at risk for heart disease. Good work on going 4 days!!!! I just recently stopped too, so I know the headaches can be killer.


If anyone stuck with me and is still reading, I just wanted to say it sounds like everyone is doing well, kicking the coke habit, getting a personal trainer, working out at lunch, going down a size in jeans, making the decision to go back to the gym, etc, etc, so keep it up and pat yourself on the back.

 

[Mara]

lol appletini...CPP is the IN food apparently!!

kudos rod on getting out and doing a great run. keep your chin up about the job and maybe think more seriously about other options for now? at least to pay the bills..! curls sounds like you are doing great, congrats on sticking with it! go heather and the other gals. everyone is doing wonderfully!!

today was action packed for me and not in the greatest way. portia was coughing all weekend and this morning i determined she might have kennel cough from her new daycare. so i had to make a vet appt at 5pm as they don't want you to bring in the dog while other dogs are there (it's an airborne virus, like a doggie flu/cold basically). and this was my last day of work, so i wanted to be sure i got everything wrapped up. also there was supposed to be a lunch today but everyone got swamped me included so we figured we'd do it maybe a week after i got settled into the new gig. anyway, so i was at work this afternoon then i had to go to the gym so i only had literally 45 minutes at the gym when typically i have like 60-70 minutes. so i bumped up the treadmill to 11 and 12 incline for most of it and i burned 525 cals and walked 3.25 miles in 50 minutes (i added a few extra minutes...i had to!) which was really cool because basically that is what my workout is in 60 minutes. so i shaved 10 minutes but was able to keep my cal burn high with the extra incline. plus i kept checking my HR and lately it has been lower at the 9 and 10 incline but at 11-12 it was in my max 85% range. so i was definintely working harder this time which was good as it's easy to get complacent when my body *could* be doing more. plus i was sugar powered as i had eaten 2 small halloween baggies of skittles (thanks work!) before my workout..haha. so anyway i felt really good about that. i also got my body fat tested again before my workout and it was 22.4. the guy said that 18-22 is lean and 23-27 is average. so i am basically like right on the cusp of lean...yay! i felt pretty good about that. though of course i would have definitely liked the # from friday better which was 20.8. hehe. he said i was probably around the 21-22 range as i guess those things aren't 10000% accurate..but i figure if i think i am on the cusp it will make me want to build a bit more muscle and get rid of a bit more fat!

so then i rushed home, showered and changed in 10 minutes, grabbed portia and we jetted off to the vet! then on the way home she decided to barf in the car, always fun while driving down the freeway in traffic...and then i still had to go to trader joe's to get dinner AND the dog store to get food and treats for her since she was out. then it was home and now we are finally relaxing!! she does have kennel cough which sucks because it means she can't go to daycare for 2 weeks! UGH! she is already getting better but they are contagious for a while i guess. so now i have to totally rework my whole plan for who is going to watch her while i'm at work kinda thing. we'll work it out but it just means we all won't be on a 'schedule' until 2 weeks from now..and i am a total schedule person.

anyway, drama. gotta love it!! so on a plus side, i'm jazzed about the calorie burn and BF rating...for dinner we are having TJ pizzas (the ones that are only 440 cals each pizza and super yummy) and salads. the most awesome thing is that i love the TJ's reduced fat greek salad..and the pizza..and both of those, eating the whole salad and the whole pizza (which is a lot of food, i don't even know if i can eat it all) is only 570 calories. not bad for a full on dinner meal. and i think a pizza and salad was about $6.00 total. i am so loving TJ's lately. i also got some new luna bars and a few more salads and another pizza for later this week. now that i am going back to the corporate thing i also need to make sure the fridge is stocked with quick lunches so that i can stay on my eating healthy lifestyle and am not 'caught' without something and end up eating badly.

long post..anyway, today was a busy day..i feel stress and tension in my neck, where's my heating pad?!?! tomorrow at least will be a relaxing day for me as i am taking the one day off before the new gig to meet some friends for shopping and getting a mani pedi. and my workout and then having sushi with a girlfriend. then wed, the new life begins!!

hope everyone is doing wonderfully...and if you guys have not already, seriously try out TJ's pizzas. love these things. since i could never find cinderella's peasant pies at WF (i even asked a guy who worked there) even though the website said they have them...the pizzas have to suffice. hehe.

 

[monarch64]

Good evening...just checking in for the day! I went to the gym yesterday for the Zumba class, which was super fun, and actually a pretty kick ass workout. Too bad it was a one-time thing for a Sunday, it''s only normally offered Tuesday mornings when I''m at work. I do want to get a Zumba DVD now so I can do it again at home, for cardio workouts when I don''t have time to get to the gym at night.

Tonight I went right after work and did 45 minutes on the treadmill, at almost a jogging pace at a slight incline. I decided during the last 15 minutes or so I am finally going to have to break down and get an IPod (I know, I''ll be like the last person in America to buy one), or maybe a Sony MP3 player--they have one that has a calorie counter/something else to do with fitness display I''ve been looking at as well. I get sooooo bored on the treadmill just watching/listening to the t.v. or reading magazines. Anyway, got my cardio in for the day so I''m happy with that. Later tonight I''ll probably do some arms... tomorrow I need to go to the library after work to rent some workout DVD''s to try before I buy, so I might be taking an "off" day, we''ll see.

I ate really well today...Luna bar and coffee for breakfast, a salad with a side of fruit for lunch, an apple this afternoon for a snack, and some organic brown rice with edamame and a sauteed portabella mushroom for dinner. For a before-bed snack later I have some celery sticks cut up in the fridge, to top with a tablespoon or two of peanut butter. I did lots of planning before I went to TJ''s and our regular grocery store this weekend, so I feel organized with my menu this week and think I''ll be able to stick to it and avoid the usual take-out cravings. DH even got up a little early this morning and we packed him a lunch of tuna, some whole wheat bread, and some fruit together...he''s making an effort towards losing his extra 20 lbs. and getting in better shape so he can avoid back surgery and feel healthier.

AmandaPanda, I really do believe in the merits of food journaling. You don''t even have to go into it with the attitude that "I''m going to eat better because I''m writing everything down," but just do it for a week or so without thinking too much about it, then go over it during a quiet time and really look at what you''re eating, the times of day, your moods, etc. It will tell you a lot about your eating habits and help you make changes. Whenever I find myself getting complacent or "relaxing" and my clothes start fitting a little tighter, I go back to journaling and pretty soon I''m back on track. It also helps me plan my grocery shopping...sometimes I go in with an unclear mind, or no list, and end up buying a bunch of things that just sound good at the time, whereas if I go shopping with a list from things I''ve tried and liked (that were on par with my daily calorie intake), I can get through the aisles without too many distractions, and then when I make choices at home, they tend to be planned out and I can avoid overeating.

As far as motivation, it really is a personal thing, like Mara said. For me it was a combo of a lot of things...first I looked at some pics my friends had taken of DH and me on New Year''s Eve last year, and my face looked so, well, BIG! It was weird...and I noticed that instead of some cute, slim-fitting sweater I was wearing this long, sheer tunic, which I loved, but I remember wanting to kinda hide my not-so-slim figure. I think until I saw those pictures I hadn''t really looked at myself for a while, and had just gotten comfortable with clothes that I felt hid things I didn''t really like. Then I started journaling everything I ate, and noticed that I was giving into the pizza and pasta cravings I used to be really good at avoiding a lot more often than normal...I decided then that if I continued to be complacent I was going to keep gaining weight, and I just had to get off my butt and do something about it unless I wanted to be the out-of-shape "typical American" that Mara so eloquently described, lol! Also, I don''t have children yet, but we want them, and at 29 my metabolism is certainly not going to be miraculously speeding up. I realized that I had to make a lifestyle change, or else I was just going to continue down the path of complacency and end up in poor physical health and probably be miserable. How could I bring children into my life and raise them in a healthy manner when I couldn''t even do it for myself? So that''s part of what has gotten me motivated, just in case you were wondering, he hee. Coming to the workout thread here several times a week, and not letting myself creep back into not paying attention to what I eat and not getting enough exercise helps me stay motivated. Going to the gym and feeling the burn, so to speak, and feeling proud of myself walking out of there physically drained but high on endorphins is definitely very helpful also. You just need to get your workout/fitness mojo back, girlfriend! Keep visiting us here, and do what you need to do...it''ll come back when you''re ready!

 

[appletini]

Curls,
Maybe you should get a scale that also measures BMI and body fat as well as pounds, b/c your body composition might be changing even if your weight isn''t. That might help to show that you are making more progress than you realize.

We don''t own a scale, but the week before last when I signed up at the gym they did an assessment using one of those "special" scales, so one a month I''m just going to have them check it again on their scale and that way I know it will be consistent.

 

[Lorelei]

Sounds like everyone is doing great!

Rod, hang in there, things will sort out when the time is right and as they are meant to, I know it must be so hard to keep sane at this time, but great things are ahead of you. There will be many out there who will recognize your worth, not only people but companies too, you wait - I bet you will get all sorts of great offers at the same time! Hugs outgoing!

Mara - best of luck on the new job to you and I know P will be better soon, bless her.

Did 1 hour cardio today half an hour on each machine, which went well. I am really noticing results now which is great, I am getting very toned and a bit muscular here and there, Hubby laughs at my legs which are now so tiny and rock hard with hardly any fat on them, it is fascinating to see myself change so much and the best bit is of course buying new clothes!

I think my motivating reasons are similar to everyone elses - I realised that being slim and healthy was going to take far more work and commitment than I was previously giving it and I had to erase the word diet from my life and try to eat well but carefully and exercise! Also to have some cake occasionally or some fries, but to make up for it by eating a little less the next day, and or work out a little harder or for longer, but to not beat yourself up over it, as long as you eat sensibly most of the time and not take in more calories than you burn, also exercise, then you can eat what you want at times.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Ok so who wants to kick my butt??? I need some motivation and some tips. I work from 6 am until 4:30 pm monday thru friday. I have to sit in front of a computer all day long and I have a raelly hard time getting myself motivated to go to the gym after work since I have to drive more than 40 minutes just to get home. So by the time I leave work its already starting to get dark and then I have stuff to get done at home and I am just not motivated to get things done. Since I have started here at my job in June, I have gained weight, since I am not as active as I used to be. I get up and stretch while I am at work and take a few laps around the building, but I just have a hard time getting my butt in gear. It doesnt help that I just sit here and food is just easy to snack on while you are sitting on your butt.

I try and eat healthy snacks that I have in my desk, like those slim fast bars. Some fruit pieces and nuts and whatnot.....so who wants to kick my butt??

 

[Mara]

hehe alexis..well it's not about kicking your butt. basically what was said up above is that you need to find your own mental personal motivation. i think personally that if someone is not READY to hear what others have to say (and you may think you are but sometimes you aren't) then no amount of tough love is going to motivate someone into doing what they aren't mentally ready for. for me it was like *I* suddenly got it in gear. forget what anyone else was saying or whatever. it was me going 'DING DING'. and it's mostly me that keeps myself highly motivated. i love this thread because it's so much fun to read about people's tips or articles or progress, and i am a total foodie so part of the fun for me is finding things that i love to eat that ARE healthy and good for me too so i don't feel deprived. slim fast bars don't sound super appealing to me personally, but i have found some other bar things that i love and have lots of fiber and protein too which are a big perk for me since i work out so much.

anyway, is there a way you can bring some walking shoes to work and do more than just a few laps around the building? is there a park or something nearby? american's are so heavy on their work lifestyle, but that is never something i have been into, i can't let work consume my life. you are out at 4:30pm, time to go find an exercise while it's still light outside at 5pm! walking around your neighborhood? joining a gym and taking a 5pm or 6pm class a few times a week? can you cut out any sweets or bad things that you like to snack on as a first step?

i highly recommend sparkpeople.com to people who are just joining us here, or even those who just like to read about motivational stories or get fitness or eating tips. the community there is HUGE and i have only posted like 5 times and been there for months, because i just like reading what everyone else has to say!! there are threads like what is your fave music for working out, with song suggestions, so i love going there and getting idea for new ipod songs. it's a fun place to hang out and lurk in my opinion and it's totally about a healthy lifestyle. sometimse i just get a burst of motivation reading about how far some of these people have come. it's good to see that many people dedicated to having a healthy life.

so just gotta say AGAIN that TJ pizza is the best, and my salad rocked. i ate the whole pizza sans a bit of crust and had my salad and i was stuffed and happy. on an even better note, P slept all night so that was good, and this morning i managed to get her to take her meds with some bread and honey wrapped around them. so breakfast for me this morning is cream of wheat with some brown sugar and 2 slices of that awesome danish cinammon bread we got with a small pat of butter (greg's orders that i had to eat some bread today since we don't want it to go to waste)...i'm meeting some friends for lunch at a crepe place, so we'll see what they have...i love crepes but mostly breakfast crepes so maybe i'll get an egg and ham one. then dinner after workout is sushi so at least i know that's healthy! but yesterday i was under my caloric intake so i don't feel too bad bout spluring a bit today. esp since i'm not really trying to 'lose' anything else, just maintain with my workouts.

have a wonderful day today people!! oh and lorelei, lol re the skinny legs, mine are so the same, greg is like look at your legs compared to mine and we had a good laugh. i have skinny legs to begin with, or really that is where it is easiest for me to lose weight, plus with all that incline treadmill walking, my legs probably get a workout every day whereas i rest my arms in between classes so i don't overdo it. so my legs definitely have bounced into shape.

 

[NYCsparkle]

Hi everyone...ok.. I had a baby boy(love of my life) 11 weeks ago and I need motivation to get back in shape. i have lost almost all of the weight...about 3 pounds to go...but i haven''t begun to work out yet. i''m tired and super busy with the baby...basically unmotivated. even though i know i look good with clothes on its when they are not that i see things aren''t as tight (pooch) as they used to be. before getting pregnant i had a "great j-lo butt" as my husband told me. now its flatter. what exercises can i do to get it back and my pooch area toned again? help!

 

[lovelylulu]

Hello all! I had a great weekend visiting with my brother and his fiancee. However, because we went for a cake tasting and a huge birthday bash i ate a lot and moved not too much. I did manage to limit the damage by not overeating at the party, not drinking too much and only wine, and just tasting the cake instead of devouring the entire plate. We also went for a bicycle ride at nearby state park. Last night, i intended to do a pilates workout, but decided to catch up with laundry, house cleaning etc. grrr. today, i have my running shoes, so it''s off to the gym.

we did cook a tasty meal last night:

herb and parmesan crusted chicken and Grilled Asparagus
(with a couple of modifications) Bunch of asparagus
olive oil
salt/pepper
Preheat grill or grillpan over med-high heat.
Drizzle asapargus with olive oil and season with salt/pepper.
Grill asparagus about 3 minutes, turn and grill another 3 minutes.


Tonight it''s:

Green Beans
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped nuts (i''m using almonds)
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil, add green beans and steam for about 4 minutes.
Toast the nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes.
Add onion to the nuts.
whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Toss the dressing with the green beans, top with the nut mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Baked Salmon
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (or dried)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
lemon
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place fish on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray; lightly coat fish with cooking spray/olive oil. Sprinkle fish with dill, salt, and pepper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Season with lemon.


Both meals are so simple, require only a few ingredients and are very speedy to make.

cheers.

 

[Christa]

Date: 10/17/2006 12:26:53 PM
Author: NYCsparkle
Hi everyone...ok.. I had a baby boy(love of my life) 11 weeks ago and I need motivation to get back in shape. i have lost almost all of the weight...about 3 pounds to go...but i haven''t begun to work out yet. i''m tired and super busy with the baby...basically unmotivated. even though i know i look good with clothes on its when they are not that i see things aren''t as tight (pooch) as they used to be. before getting pregnant i had a ''great j-lo butt'' as my husband told me. now its flatter. what exercises can i do to get it back and my pooch area toned again? help!

Well, I hope this doesn''t sound discouraging, because you should totally start working out whenever you can--it will help you look and feel better and have more of the energy you are going to need to keep up with your baby . . . but you can save yourself a lot of aggravation if you let go of the idea that your body is *ever* going to be like it was before. I''m in better shape now than I ever was before I had my kids, but the "pooch" is still there to some extent. My stomach is pretty toned, but there''s loose skin that isn''t going anywhere short of a tummy tuck. OK, I don''t think I''m helping here . . . hopefully someone else has some specific suggestions for you.

Congratulations on your baby, by the way!

 

[JCJD]

Howdy folks! Yesterday I did not work out, except for my bike ride home, and tonight the yoga class I usually go to is cancelled due to fall break at the Univ. During the time I'm usually going to that class though, hubby's job is to make me do a workout video, probably Fat-Burning Workout for Dummies. I also biked in and will bike home too.

I was good the past couple months, but this week it's TTOTM and I have been seriously craving chocolate!! Today I had a Three Muskateers, so I don't feel horrible about it - only 260 calories and 8g of fat, not bad for a big chocolate bar. Yesterday I had 3 squares of 60% dark chocolate too; again, not so bad, but I need to kick that habit fast if I want to lose a pound or more this week! Otherwise I've been pretty good with food - leftover sushi for lunch yesterday and today, not as good as fresh, but not bad either, a Jimmy John's veggie sub yesterday for dinner, easy on the mayo, and this morning I had a toasted whole wheat english muffin with american cheese and a veggie "sausage" patty. We have some pineapple chunks leftover in the fridge that I'll dig into for dinner too, and I'm making my favorite squash meal tonight! Baked acorn squash with Uncle Ben's original wild rice and either a can of kidney or black beans. Just scoop the rice and beans into the middle of the squash, add just a little salt and pepper and a tiny pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil and it's divine. Ooh! maybe I'll add some steamed green beans on the side too!

 

[akw94]

Hi everyone,
I have to say that although I know that motivation is a personal thing, you guys really help *my* motivation. Just reading everyone''s thoughts and stories helps bring my mood up and helps me want to go do what I already know I need to do. So, thanks! I am feeling better about my workout tonight. Initially, I planned to workout but it felt like something I had to do but really had no desire to do. Now, it feels a little more like the right thing to do in order to accomplish my goal. For me, the way I look at something helps a lot. Without that positive attitude, I often find a way to talk myself out of working out or eating well. Or I think about it too much instead of just acting. At the same time, I am trying to work through why working out and eating right is something I am struggling with.
I didn''t end up going to the gym yesterday but I did workout. I also ordered 2 more Billy Blanks tapes to add to my new and growing collection. I definitely need variety b/c I get bored easily and workout at home 2-3 times/wk. So I''m looking fwd to a new tape later this week. Tonight I''ll just do one I already have.

Monarch, I haven''t bought an Ipod yet either. I have finally decided to go ahead too, except I already have this mp3 player w/very little memory so I''m just going to buy some more memory and use that. And I am buying my son and mp3 player for his bday, rather than an actual Ipod. I just think they are more expensive and not worth the extra $. But of course, my research on this topic is minimal so I could be very wrong. There are a lot of internet sites that compare the various players. You may want to check them out before making a purchase.

Alexis, I have a hard time working out after work too. For awhile, I was working out in the mornings but that didn''t last all that long. I find that when I don''t think about it, I just get home, change and then pop in that tape or set a certain time that I am going to workout, it happens more often. Tonight, my goal is to workout by 6:00 so that I can watch Gilmore Girls at 7 When I think about how much I don''t feel like working out or how tired I am, too often I don''t do it. Lately, I''ve been thinking about all the time I''ve wasted these past few months by not being consistent. If I''m ever going to lose the weight (and I''d like to lose 30lbs), I have to stop putting it off. So some days that helps me. Also, the more I do it, the more motivated I stay b/c I don''t want to mess up a good week. And if I start earlier in the week, I accomplish my goal sooner so that the last few days of the week, I can choose whether to workout or not. One week I actually surprised myself and did a day beyond my goal.

Curls, glad to hear you''re doing so well! Good for you!

Keep it up everyone! Thanks for sharing your motivation.

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Hi everyone

Just checkin'' in.
I''m still going to the gym 3x a week. I''ve upped the weights and the reps. I''m feeling the difference.

I ate some multi grain chips the other day and the salt really made me feel like a balloon. I normally never use salt.

Do any of you have the same problem if you eat salty foods? Just curious.

Keep up the great work everyone!

 

[Rod]

Date: 10/17/2006 7:02:29 PM
Author: Modified Brilliant
Hi everyone

Just checkin'' in.
I''m still going to the gym 3x a week. I''ve upped the weights and the reps. I''m feeling the difference.

I ate some multi grain chips the other day and the salt really made me feel like a balloon. I normally never use salt.

Do any of you have the same problem if you eat salty foods? Just curious.

Keep up the great work everyone!

Good for you Jeff. 3X a week is a great goal and I''m glad you''re doing it. I have found that I have difficulty with salty foods. Maybe it''s because I quit smoking 15 months ago, but salt just doesn''t appeal to me anymore. I don''t even really cook with much salt anymore when once upon a time, I would litteraly cover foods with salt and add salt after cooking. Salt will make you retain fluids which could cause the balloon feeling you mentioned.