Workout Thread Tues, March 29

[ammayernyc]

Short story... I did nothing this morning. The alarm went off at 6:30 AM, I closed my eyes for a second and when I looked up, it was 7:30 AM. No workout for me this morning.

Long story... I feel like I am never going to lose weight. I have been workout out a lot, although last week I only did two days of cardio and two days of weights since my ankle still hurt. I have been eating that stupid diet that gets delivered to me for five days a week -- 1200-1400 calories per day so even if I splurge on the weekends (which I definitely do) this is still much less that I usually ate. And still, nothing. Things are maybe a little looser. But that''s it. I still feel like a hippo. I''m going away in May and have to wear a bathing suit and feel like I should just bring a mumu with me since I feel so incredibly nasty. I am not what is considered obese... I''m 5''5" and a size 10, weight is concentrated all over so I have an hourglass figure, with a heavy bottom. I think I only weigh about 10 lbs or less than my bfriend. I just want to cry. I don''t know what else to do. I know that if I do one of those fad diets that the weight will come off but I''ll feel horrible and it will come back right on. I dream about getting liposuction, but I know that I''ll be swollen for months so it''s silly to do before the summer. I hate all my clothes but don''t want to buy news ones since it''s always a slightly traumatic experience, my bfriend is extremely picky and the clothes he loves will not look good on me, and I keep saying that I want to wait until I lose some weight... but it''s not happening quick enough!!!

UGH!!!!!

All of this and I''m not even PMSed...

Happy Tuesday...

 

[Morticia]

Hey, you''re being too hard on yourself! Stop that.

Here are some things that I have found helped me lose a little weight. 1) Drink LOTS of water. LOTS and I find it''s even easier to drink at room temperature. 2) Do you drink coffee? If so, and it''s the caffeine fix you need, try to make a switch to green tea. I put lots of lemon in mine so it helps with the flavor. No sugar though! 3) Try to not eat 3 hours before bedtime.

You already know you have to watch calorie intake. I''m a big eater so I try to snack on fat free yogurt (which I have read helps with weight loss) and fruit. Alcohol is also a killer if you''re trying to lose weight and another thing I have a hard time giving up.

Cardio is the fat burner, and if you''re like me, you need to do 30 plus minutes at least 4 times week, preferrably more. I run. I have found that it is the best way to keep my weight in check and lose weight. I''m not fast, but don''t care. It''s all about covering the distance and fitness for me. Running works, trust me, but don''t run on a bad ankle. The elliptical machine is also really good for the butt and thighs. Weight training is also VERY good but I''m bad about doing it.

Trying hard to get in to it these days.

I have a treadmill work out that I found in Fitness magazine that is awesome. You will sweat your little butt off! I''ll PM it to you.

Good luck and a size 10 is not a bad thing at all.

We only think it is b/c all we see are women in magazines who, believe it or not, are not very healthy b/c they are under weight.

 

[Morticia]

OK, here's a treadmill workout that will make anyone sweat their little butt's off. I got it from Fitness Magazine and I told ammayernyc I would PM her this but I figured I might as well post for all to see. I just started doing this, and let me tell you, it's not easy but it's a good workout. You'll feel it the next day in your butt and thighs, my BIG problem areas.

Treadmill 25 minute workout:

0 - 5 minutes: Warm up at 3.5 mph, with no incline.
5- 8minutes: Increase pace to 4 mph and increase to 3% incline

**Stay at 4 mph**

8- 9 minutes: increase incline to 4%
9- 10minutes: increase incline to 5%
10 - 11: increase to 6%
11 - 12: increase to 7%
12 - 13 increase to 8%
13 - 14 increase to 9%
14 - 15 increase to 10 or 11%
15 - 16 increase to 11 or 12%
16 - 17 increase to 13%
17 - 18 increase to 14%
18 - 19 increase to 15%

*Now time to decrease incline and pace**

19 - 20 decrease incline to 12%
20 - 22 decrease PACE to 3.6 mph and incline to 10%
22 - 24 decrease PACE to 3.0 mph and incline to 6%
24 - 25 decrease PACE to 2.5 mph and eliminate incline

 

[ammayernyc]

Morticia, thanks.
That looks like a good workout. I have a good one too, but I''m always looking to mix it up. Here''s mine:

0-5: 3.0 mph at 1% incline
5-7: 3.5 mph at 3% incline
7-9: 3.5 mph at 5% incline
9-11: 3.5 mph at 7% incline
11-14: 3.5 mph at 9% incline
14-17: 3.2 mph at 11% incline
17-20: 3.5 mph at 9% incline
20-26: 3.0 mph at 12% incline
26-30: 2.7 mph at 0% incline

You can repeat the highlighted portion to add 15 minute increments. You can also, obviously, increase the speed. I can''t since I get really bad shin splints, but at this speed they don''t seem to bother me that much.

I was good this afternoon since I didn''t bring my lunch but I resisted all the yumminess and only got a salad with pretty healthy stuff (grilled chicken, egg whites, motzerella, cucumber and low-fat honey dijon dressing) and a yogurt for my snack. I figured since I gorged last night I needed to make up for it. I''m going to try to go swimming tonight, but I''m 90% sure that''s not going to happen since I''m so pooped when I get home.

Btw, Morticia, where in NY are you?

 

[Morticia]

I'm in NYC, near midtown.

Dangerously close to the Diamond District.

P.S. - I also suffer from chronic shin splints. Attempted to train for 2 NYC marathons, and failed, due to severe shins splints. Check your shoes, could be those, and do shin strengthening exercises. Here is one - stand straight, knees lightly bent, raise yourself to your tip toes, and slowly lower your heels to the floor. Do 3 sets of 15 or so a few times a week. That strengthens up those shins.

Knock on wood. I haven't gotten them in a while.

 

[ammayernyc]

My bf works less than 10 blocks from the Diamond District. I''m hoping he goes there on his lunch hour one of these days!
We live on the UES. It''s nice to see a fellow NYer here!

 

[Morticia]

Oh, cool! I used to live on the UES.

Yeah, I work on 51 st so I''m super close to the DD.

I''m not really walking around there b/c of the vultures that hang outside their shops, practically begging people to come in. They annoy me. I do like checking out some places though, like Signed Pieces and http://www.estatediamondjewelry.com/item.cfm?int_item_id=225&cat_id=1 .

 

[ammayernyc]

Wow. That ring in your link is fantastic!

 

[Morticia]

Isn''t it? I''ve tried it on and LOVE it. Their stuff is gorgeous and they are very nice there. You should check it out sometime.

 

[ammayernyc]

I might just have to do that! Although, I think I''ve found the ring that I like the most -- round center with pear sidestones. I would have never thought that I would have liked that style, but the first time I ever went ring looking with the bf, he picked it out right away. I''ve tried it on a number of times since then and fall in love with it more every time!

Now I just have to lose weight so I can be deserving! Although I''m pretty sure it won''t happen, I''m secretly hoping for a bday proposal (in three weeks).

Do you belong to a gym in NY?

 

[Morticia]

Yes, I go to the YMCA. VERY nice and fairly inexpensive for NYC. What about you?

BTW, the round with pear side stones. I LOVE IT!

I never thought I would like it either until I saw one this past weekend. Actually, it was an oval with pear side stones and it was probably one of the most beautiful rings I have ever seen.

I told my BF that I will have one of those some day.

An RB with pear sides will be gorgeous! I have my fingers crossed that it will be for your b-day!

*Have you seen Kaleigh's RB with pear sides?*

 

[ammayernyc]

There is a gym in my building, which is really nice since I don''t need to dress up to go outside to the gym. It''s bad in the respect that there are no classes and only limited amount of equiptment. I''ve been there when it''s too crowded and no cardio machines are available, but not too often.

I really miss taking classes... but I''d have to rejoin another gym to do that.

So far I''ve picked up a couple of things from my bf about rings and proposals and such:

1. He wants a super sparkley ring (and I won''t complain)
2. He wants a big ring (and I definitely won''t complain)
3. He will have the ring shipped to Florida first (where his mother lives and so he won''t have to pay NYC taxes).
4. He won''t propose in a restaurant.
5. He wants to buy the stone first to inspect it before setting it.
6. Once he gets it, he''ll give it to me right away instead of waiting for the ''perfect'' moment... at least, that''s what he''s done with all my other presents.

Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[ammayernyc]

No, we both live in NYC, but his mother lives in Florida. He would have the ring and/or diamond shipped to Florida to avoid paying taxes.

But thanks for the suggestion. I''ll definitely check out the website!

 

[Morticia]

I know you live in NYC but I thought that if you buy out of state also, you avoid paying those taxes? But if you buy in NYS, you pay?

 

[ammayernyc]

I know that if you buy something out-of-state but ship it to NYC, you have to pay NYC taxes on it. But when you buy in NYC if you ship it to someplace that doesn''t have taxes (ie - Florida) you don''t have to pay those taxes. When I had my bfriend''s bday present made (diamond cufflinks), the jeweler shipped them to someone in Florida to avoid the taxes. That was in January.

I hope nothing has changed!

Thanks for the heads up though!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Date: 3/29/2005 2:21:36 PM
Author: ammayernyc
I might just have to do that! Although, I think I''ve found the ring that I like the most -- round center with pear sidestones. I would have never thought that I would have liked that style, but the first time I ever went ring looking with the bf, he picked it out right away. I''ve tried it on a number of times since then and fall in love with it more every time!

Now I just have to lose weight so I can be deserving! Although I''m pretty sure it won''t happen, I''m secretly hoping for a bday proposal (in three weeks).

ammayer!!!!!!!

I KNOW YOU REALLY DON''T MEAN THAT!!!!

You deserve to think of yourself better than that!!! I was your exercise twin today- I actually was up at 5

0 am, turned the tv on, hung out with BF & the cats & didn''t go to the gym!!!! If I were to get engaged tomorrow I would be demanding only hand pics and photos from the chest-up (and then my fat-face would drive me crazy!!!!) But we need to remember our men who love us just the way we are and that our goals are attainable!!! lets each try for some gym time tomorrow!

 

[ammayernyc]

I do think I am deserving of a ring, I just feel so yucky about myself right now. Sad how I do this to myself... almost worse that I know I''m doing it but can''t stop it...

I''m seeing my trainer tomorrow so I know that I''ll get an hour in... but most of it is weights and not cardio. Why is that I feel if I only go four times a week (which is what I did last week) that it''s not enough!

Calgon, take me away!

 

[windy1365]

I am 5''8, 112 lbs, size 0 - 2, 11.9 body fat percentage (can''t lose anymore, or I won''t be able to mentally function). I have muscle tone, and although I would look better with about 10 more pounds on me, I can''t gain anymore b/c my wedding is in four weeks.

Anyway... this is how I got there.... three years ago, I weighed 145 and was unhealthy. I didn''t exercise or eat right. Then, instead of going home right after work, I would go play racquetball with a friend. The weight just started dropping off. Now, I go to an aerobics/weight combo class four times a week... sometimes two times in a day. I then walk two miles and run one mile during lunch Monday through Friday. Then, my fiancee and I go for a 8 - 10 mile hike one day during the weekend.

My diet is, I eat Special K for breakfast during the week. I eat a Lean Cuisine for lunch during the week... with fruit, Goldfish crackers, and other various snacks. For dinner, if the fiance is out of town, I eat Special K for dinner. If he is in town, I eat whatever I cook him. Then, on the weekend, we eat whatever as much as I want to make up for being good all week.

This works for me!! Also, I always weight myself in the morning, b/c there is usually a three to four pound difference if I weigh myself at night.

My fiance is mad about it though, b/c he thinks I have the beginning stages of anorexia... but I think he''s stupid b/c I eat plenty of food. He eats at least four servings at one meal, so he is the one with the distorted image of food!

 

[Mara]

windy, 5''8" and 112 lbs? that''s a bit too thin for me. I am 5''8" and at my wedding i was about a size 8 (i dont use scales!) and that was all that was happening... my mom even said i looked too thin (i have curves so those weren''t going anywhere no matter what i did!) but i think it was about right. i think i was a 0-2 in the WOMB!

weight is such a big topic for today''s society...you either weigh too much or too little but hardly ever the right weight for you (in your mind anyway).

unluckily for me, i like to eat. lucky for me, with workouts and maintenance, i can keep to a pretty standard size...though in the 8 months since the wedding i have slacked off alot and am now just getting back into it...thanks to wanting to keep my size the same when i go spring clothes shopping, hehe.

i have had gym memberships, tried aerobics and treadmills and walking and this and that. i never try true fad diets but do try to eat better overall which includes lower carbs and lower fat during the week and sat/sunday are more ''free'' so i don''t feel deprived. in the summer it''s easier because there are more fresh fruits and yummy things that in winter i just never feel like eating.

that said, the one thing that works best for me in terms of exercise is kickboxing. i''ve been doing it for about 3 years now and i love it. i hate the gym, hate the treadmill, walking is alright but i need a companion. the gym can take up hours of the day. but kboxing is close to my house, our instructor is a karate black belt who kicks our asses and takes names, and its 2-3 hours out of my week and i am DONE....and can eat 1/2 of what i want with 1/2 of what is really good for me.

i think everyone needs to find what works best for them, i did years of gym workouts that i HATED and forced myself to go to...now i don''t adore working out but this is the best workout in the least amount of time with max results. some food for thought...

also as a last point, set realistic goals for your body...before my wedding i was at a good weight but i was always jsut a bit unhappy with what i wasnt achieving..when in reality i looked fine to others. can''t shove my hip bones in and i can''t flatten my breasts, i can only do so much and just be happy i am in shape and strong and look good in clothes (hee!)...so something for us all to remember even when we want to be one more size smaller.

we are all WAY harder on ourselves than the world is...sometimes i see pictures of myself and am amazed at how fit i look or how long my hair is or other random items when i don''t see myself like that at all. it''s very hard to keep perspective on ourselves.

 

[appletini]

Okay well I can finally post in here again.

I''m taking a little break from yoga right now, but I do miss it,

so yesterday I went to the gym (for the first time in over 6 months) and did the elyptical for 30 mins and then did 250 crunches,

and Saturday I went jogging with my dog for 10 minutes, and he''s a little dog, but he was still ready go at the end, needless to say that Sunday and Monday my calves were quite sore.

 

[Patty]

ammayernyc, a size 10 is GREAT.

Do not beat yourself up! And like fff said, you DESERVE a ring no matter what you weigh or what size you wear!

windy, be careful...It sounds like you are flirting with an eating disorder. Your diet and exercize routine sound extreme to me. You are saying that some days you walk 2 miles, run one mile and go to two aerobic/weight classes? That's a LOT especially considering how little you are eating. Women were not made to survive on Special K and Lean Cuisine!!!

Mara, you are so right about people having to find what works for them. For me, it's walking and yoga and sometimes weight training. I used to beat myself up b/c I could not run without feeling like I was going to die and I hated "classes" but now I figure that I'm doing what works for me and what I can stick with in the long run.

 

[rms]

ammayernyc,
you definitely deserve a ring no matter what. Keep a positive spirit please. It can be difficult to keep up an exercise routine. Looking for something that will keep you interested in most important. I love to walk/hike. And letely for me I am doing a lot of yoga, more traditional yoga twice a week, and Pilates once a week. I love all the balancing exercises. I hate doing sit ups, sp the yoga seems to have really helped strengthen my abs without doing traditional sit-ups. Plus I am hoping it will help me with my back, because I am having a ton of trouble with it lately. I started a new job where I am essentially sitting at my desk all day long. Sitting for that long is definitely not a good thing. My husband is one of the most fit people I have every known, and it is impossible for me to keep up with him on anything. But he is a positive role model for me without being pushy. We don''t even work out together, but when he goes to the gym, it is hard for me to think that I should just hang out and watch TV

I am 5'' 4", and I am around a size 8.

windy,
I have to agree with Patty and Mara in your case. You said:
"I am 5''8, 112 lbs, size 0 - 2, 11.9 body fat percentage (can''t lose anymore, or I won''t be able to mentally function)."

"Also, I always weight myself in the morning, b/c there is usually a three to four pound difference if I weigh myself at night."

"My fiance is mad about it though, b/c he thinks I have the beginning stages of anorexia... but I think he''s stupid b/c I eat plenty of food. He eats at least four servings at one meal, so he is the one with the distorted image of food! "


These are all red flag statements in my opinion. 11.9 % body fat is unusually low for women, and the Special K, Lean Cuisine combo doesn''t seem like enough. Your fiance has a point. Please think about that. Gaining weight in a healthy way seems like the right approach for you.

 

[icekid]

windy-

just agreeing w/ the others really, but you''re probably NOT eating enough. and you''re almost certainly not getting enough protein! i would definitely take your bf''s concerns seriously. he does know you best, right? eating too much is not good, but not eating enough isn''t either. with the amount of exercise you''re getting, you should be consuming far more calories. you''re body is probably breaking down your muscle as a source of amino acids, which you obviously don''t want.

be careful, and take care of yourself!

 

[NoonersMom]

Wow...lots to reply to.

Amma - It sounds like you''ve been consistently working out. Great job...just keep it going and give yourself some credit! You may not see immediate differences except that you will get more energy and your clothes will slowly fit a little bit better. If you''re anything like me....you want to see results & you want to see them NOW! lol. So keep at it! You''ll get there! And yes, _you are worthy_!

FYI....When I started training for the marathon I was out of shape, hadn''t consistently ran in easily 6 months. It took a month before I saw any real difference. However, everyone else could see that I lost a little. Point being, that someones we see ourselves everyday & don''t see a difference. However, if we went two weeks without seeing ourselves, it might be a different story. Food for thought.

Windy, whoa! That sounds a bit unhealthy.....I am 5''9", 145lbs, size 8. I can''t imagine being an inch shorter & 30 lbs less. I am surprised your tummy is not growing worms by the end of the day. lol. I know I would be starving. There must be a healthy balanced diet for you out there. As others have said, if your BF/fiance has concerns, I would listen to them. Sometimes our partners see us better than we can. While you may be highly active, you''ve got to sustain your activities! I hope you will give it some thought!

 

[windy1365]

Size 6 is my favorite size, so after the wedding, that is my goal. Maybe a size 4. I looked great when I went from a size 8/10 to a 6. I had curves and got all kinds of compliments from men. Then, the complements turned to, "You don''t need to lose any more weight". This was coming from men... not women!

I actually did take kick boxing tonight. This was my second time. It was fun!! I really enjoy the aerobic, weight combo classes at the fitness center. I just can''t make myself work out unless I''m in a class.

Yea, I''m too skinny... I admit, but I really am not anorexic. I just ate two pieces of pork, a chicken wing, two kiwis, and a bowl of icecream. I just can''t stand cooking when my man isn''t home, so I just eat Special K for dinner on those nights.

I just want to loose my stomach. The guy at the gym that took my body fat % said that it is skin... but I didn''t have this skin when I was in high school. I have a little roll in the front when I bend over. I hate it!!

 

[appletini]

Windy...every woman has that little roll!

 

[MissAva]

ammayernyc- be careful! I am 5''5" too and I was a size ten this past summer but became obessed with how much weight i had gained since I Went off to school. I began working with a personal trainer and dieting to the extreme. I am now 173(from 15 and I am a size 14/16. I cant cut any more calories 1000 a day or my body will go into starvation mode. I have been learning about how you can do too much and actually make your body feel like it will need that fat later... Wish someone had told me that before. So now I only do an hour a day of cardio and a single hour a day of weights. Also if you workout daily every 8th week needs to be a rest week to allow your muscles to reform. I hope this helps!
(If anyone has any questions pass them along and I will harass my DR)

 

[Mara]

yep I agree, that roll is normal esp when you bend over or sit down...do you expect to have tight taut skin?? windy..be careful girl...maybe you were trying to explain but you definitely seem borderline...esp the counting and reciting of what you ate for dinner! you may need more protein in your diet, esp if you are working out, it helps rebuild your muscles! aka fish and meats..if you are worried about fat and calories, eat more fish!

 

[snow_happy]

About the roll...

I am contantly complaining about mine but my boyfriend pointed out that several super skinny celebs still have a roll when they sit down. Even Britney Spears who does a million situps a day (in her pre-marriage days) had a roll when she sat down. I think it''s totally normal to have one and shouldn''t be a source of frustration if you are happy with the overall body. Plus other factors such as how long your torso is, body type, etc. play into it.

 

[IrishEyes]

hey there, I don''t usually post on this forum too much, but the topic caught my eye. Ammayer, I totally sympathize with you!! I have had those days (hell, months!!) where I felt disgusted with myself, and though its wrong - I felt I didn''t deserve things. But if you have a sec, I would like to share my little story and give some friendly advice

Some know here on pricescope that I was in the Middle East with the Army last year. I don''t normally like to post my "stats" but I''m short, 5''2" and normally around 120 lbs. I also have curves; a 36D chest and hips and butt! But I was happy at 120. Anyway, then I got sent overseas for what was supposed to be 6-8 months. Well they lied and my stay turned into 17 months!! You can imagine my depression - my life in danger everyday, people I know in other units being killed, missing my home and family and friends, god - just missing indoor plumbing!! I lived in a tent in the desert and it got up to 152 degrees sometimes! However, I am one of the few people I know who GAINED weight over there! In total, I put on 25 pounds - way too much for my little frame. I would eat whatever I could, whenever I could - it was my comfort. I felt uncomfortable to say the least. I had rolls everywhere, my face got bloated. I never in my life felt so undesireable and unfeminine! I felt disgusting and like I didn''t deserve things. It was horrible.

While I was there, I found out that that I had an abnormal pap. Further testing showed I had stage 1 cervical cancer. They flew me to Germany, then on to Washington DC to have surgery, where they removed the bad cells and some other things. This was my wake-up call! I knew that I needed to be healthy and in-shape (not that weight plays a factor in cancer, but I just wanted to feel better about myself, inside and out). After I healed from the surgery, I started working out like crazy. I became kind of obsessed with it. I had this crazy goal of being 115 lbs, much to little for me! I would dream at night of being super skinny, fitting into insanely small sizes and being overall "happy" with myself. I would say to myself "I can''t do such-and-such until I lose the weight", etc. I lost it, getting down to 120 again.
However, winter set in, and in the midwest (as with the east), the constant grey skies and snow did little for my motivation. I only gained 3 lbs back, but something inside me changed. When I turned 25 ( I know, I''m still a youngin''!), I just felt comfortable all of a sudden. I finally feel right. Am I 115 lbs, size 2 ? No. But I finally realized that hey, I''m a woman!! I have curves, and I''m proud of them ( as is my DH, believe me!). I finally just accepted my body type and realized that I can starve myself and work my ass off, but it won''t change who *I* really am! I feel beautiful inside and out, and finally feel confident in myself, even though I am not "perfect" or fit into the typical American standard of beauty.
Now I eat pretty well, however I do splurge somewhat. I love chocolate. I love wine. I can''t live without coffee. I''m not recommending this, everyone is different. And I not promoting a diet that isn''t monitored. I think it''s unhealthy to not try and eat fruits and veggies and have alot of water, as your body needs that to be healthy. It is also healthy to workout, but in moderation. Don''t become obsessed!

My point is, I know that what you see in the mirror is not what you want. But remember what you do have - a great BF ( and hopefully soon fiance!!), your friends and family, your health, and most of all and I cannot stress this enough: YOUR LIFE!!! The most important thing of all

Hope I didn''t sound too much like a psychologist! But I hope this helped! If you don''t get to the gym one day ( or even one week!), don''t fret - you''ll get there eventually. Good luck and best wishes to you!