Weight and Resistance Training - LWL #115 - Week of 11 Aug 2003

Just starting a new week's thread before I hit the shower!!!

Hope everyone had a super weekend... ;) I sure did!

Good mornin' Goils :wave:

I had a great workout this morning.... LEGS!! I'm gonna be sore tomorrow I already am actually.... Meg are you sore yet? I was sending you some :vibes: lemme tell ya...:lol:

I finally found a way to get my Omega fat in... I don't like the taste of the Essential Balance that I have it's like UDO's... so the other day I mixed 1 tablespoon with 2 tablespoom of lite syrup to put on my PanCake, and WOW it was delicious, and I couldn't even taste it, or barely taste it anyways...

Food was 100% perfect yesterday and so far today it is too... I start a new Challenge today, another 12 week stint... it's BFL basically...

See y'all laters...

G'morning and happy Monday, everyone :)

This week will be my big attempt to get back into working out. Between getting into the horses and hanging at the stable, the trip up to Kentucky, my daughter actually starting work at the stable, and finding my new horse - well .. yeah .. I haven't been working out. So now we have my daughter on a working schedule, I think I'll be doing Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun for workout days. I've been missing it, but it's scary going back after what, a month of not doing it? :eek: I don't even want to think about the running.

Hope everyone's Monday is going great!

Hi all! I'm back from a mini-vacation down to our sailboat.

Congratulations on ALL your successes!

Meg, so good to see you back posting and hope your recovery gets easier each day. You brought smiles here with your sense of humor. And many THANKS! for answering my arm question. I will try it and hope it works. Also going to try Jergens Skin Firming Lotion!

Well, gotta get busy so I hope everyone is having a healthy and safe day. Happy Monday!

dip

It's been the start of a great Monday! My goals for the week are as follows:

Be at the gym by 3:30 a.m. every morning
Get in 30 minutes of cardio and abs before weight training
Workout with weights 5 times this week with emphasis on leg training twice.
Eat 5-6 clean meals daily
Drink 3 liters of water daily
Take my supplements
Overcome obstacles by replacing old habits with positive behaviors

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!!!!!!:goodvibes

Eeeeccchh just NOW getting a chance to post...getting ready for yet another series of meetings starting TOMORROW!

I need to 'review' last week's thread...haven't had a chance this weekend...but I DID see that RavenToy has bought a horse! :) :cool:

While I'm nowhere NEAR ready to buy yet (costs MAJOR $$$'s around here to keep a horse...) this weekend I fell in LOOOOOOVE...and I have a MAJOR crush on one of our barn horses - a gorgeous bay Arabian gelding named Dakota - got to ride him on Saturday during my lesson and he has a trot and canter to DIE for...his canter is like floating on air - what a rush :D

I *was* going to take a photo of Dakota yesterday when Jim and I went for our Sunday Visit to the stables...but the batteries were LOW :( so I'll have to make do with this photo from his horse-show days - this was taken in 1999:

http://awhitehorse.i.master.com/texis/master/search/+/image/Canzogirl/dakotajustice.jpg

Keeping my fingers crossed that I can part-lease this boy...he has SUCH a wonderful disposition - and his owner is way cool too!

Gotta get back to work...then after work, hitting the Human Oven :) and gulping down a big salad...yummers...

Hi Everybody,

Wow, gorgeous horses!!! I am so jealous.

:p

Having a bad day today, horrible headache, unbearable really, so ended up really low on calories and ate a small hamburger at lunch just to get some protein that wouldn't make me barf. I did get a great lower body workout done today, so that is good news. Also good news, coworkers that I haven't seen in a while (different office) are telling me that I have totally lost weight. Not exactly true, but I AM smaller! Feels like I'll probably end up a 300 lb size 8.... Will do best to get a good clean dinner tonight.

Raventoy, congrats on your progress! YOu are really rocking, and I know your new enthusiasm is going to do nothing but good.

I hope you all are doing well for a Monday! Take care and post soon.

Hey alll,

here I am, I am feeling better, though my calories are barely squeaking in at 1510.

I just noticed that I registered at 3FC on August 4, 1999. The most recent post I can find that has my weight on it says I weighed 209. Wow. I cannot believe I have been here 4 years. I wish I could post something like Meg's anniversary, but no such luck. I am heavier now because I kept trying to do things that don't work for me. Weight watchers, fasting, counting calories (tho I still do that) and eating healthy alone don't get the fires going like working out. I think the WW activity things like 20 minutes of walking is your activity for the day really did a number on my metabolism. I need so much more!! But lifting weights.... well.... let's just say it's like a disco inferno of fat burning!! :devil:

Now I feel like I am on to something and I am at last looking healthy and feeling better.

Thank you all for being so great and supportive.

Jennifa
242/227/170

Hey girls... I also need to review last week's post.

I have been off the planet for a week, had some medical news, nothing terminal but do need to get it sorted out on Thursday, which will mean 2 weeks out of the gym. Just life I guess!

It is amazing how eating clean can keep you sane, even if you can't go to a gym. Just one of those curve balls of life I guess.

I am off to finish up some work at home tonight, I was on a course all day and then having only 2 days at work this week is a serious hit to my workload. Next week will be a bad one for the backlog... I really love real estate NOT!!! :)

Keep working my friends! And I love the fact I can come back to this group after being absent for a bit!

Nola.

Good morning, ladies! I’m excited because I got the go-ahead to try walking on the treadmill today! Because I’m still so swollen, my doctor thinks that exercise will push the fluids in my deep tissues to my kidneys (and out). I’m going to try for 15 or 20 minutes this AM at a very slow pace and see how that goes (I still have a good number of staples in my knees and thighs, so it takes me about three times as long to do anything) :dizzy: Ilene, your leg workout sounds like it was awesome and you can believe I was there with you in spirit! What are we doing today? And good luck on the new Challenge — that should take you through to about November, right?

Jennifa — you’ll see that I’m one of the originals around here too — I think I’ve actually registered at 3FC at least twice before, with all the server changes (I remember the Rt. 66 days, so it’s been a LONG time). So I spent a lot of years spinning my wheels too, with WW and gaining and losing and gaining. And, just like you, it didn't happen for me until I started lifting weights and seriously exercising. So I think you’ve found the magic combination now — weights, cardio, clean eating — and nothing is going to stop you, babe! In a year from now (or less) you’re going to be at your goal too — and I know that you are going to stay there forever because you and I are just going to keep on doing everything the same as we do now. Maintenance doesn't look any different than losing, so this is our new lifestyle — and I, for one, am loving it!

Hey Kanola — great to hear from you again! Since I’m pretty much out of the gym for a few weeks, I can totally relate to what you said about clean eating keeping you sane. I’m thinking that a few weeks off will actually be a good break for me and maybe for you. Good luck on dealing with the medical issues.

Have fun with the gorgeous horses, ladies!

Off to see if I can tie my own shoes! :lol:

Meg

Meg -- Good for you to get the go ahead to do a bit of workouts. You were definitely there with me in spirit yesterday.... Today too I thought of you, I did shoulders, they were a bit weak, but I guess that's to be expected because I took a break last week. h I'm sorry I took that week off because we are going away next week to NiagaraFalls, and I usually never workout when we're away. I will try to go in on the weekend to make up for some time. The new challenge will take me to November just before Christmas!!!!! Christmas! what the heck is THAT!!!! :dizzy:

Nola -- Long time no see girl!! :wave:

Jennifa -- It's a wonderful thing when you realize what you can do to change your body with weights...

Today I go back to AquaFit, so that should be fun, then the usual day stuff... BORRRRING.... I'm looking forward to going away next week for the change of scene... My kids start school the week after that on the 26th of August!

Anyways girls I'm off, have a good day, and I'll be back later to check in....

Greetings all!! Welcome Back Meg, I hope you are recuperating well. Was the doctor able to give you anything for the fluid??? I hope the treadmill workout helps. You have been in my prayers.

Lanaii- Hope you enjoyed your litllt break from working out, and hope that you are not feeling it too badly in your legs and shoulders. You seem to be in great shape!!!!

ilive- your goals for this week look great!!

Raventoy and Mrs Jim- Have fun with those beautiful horses!!!

Nothing new really going on over here. My gym re-opened after two week; thank God I can get back on track. I took a little break from working out myself, but unlike Lanaii, cannot afford to do so. Well, it's good to be completely back on track. Work is already crazy and chaotic this morning, so I will check in later. Have a great Tuesday!!

Meg, I have been posting here forever too, and doing my share of wheel spinning as well. I guess I am the eternal optimist because I am still believing that I will eventually get it right. Illene I started a new BFL challenge on Sunday too. It will take us into mid-Nov. which will also coincide w/ the big 5-0 for me. Sigh! I am trying to add a new strategy for this challenge. I am graphing my weight and writing out bi-weekly weight goals. I am in this to lose lbs.! I know that muscle helps that along and I am ready and willing to build muscle, but the bottom line is lbs. lost for me at this stage of the game. I haven't tracked calories for a time but I gather that some of you feel this is the way to really keep track of cause and effect. Am I right on this? I hate doing it, but am considering that this might be helpful to reach my goal. My only tweak to BFL is to cut down to 5 meals a day w/ the option of the 6th if I am ravenous and a free meal instead of a free day. I am also trying to get in a little cardio every day. Meg, your post directed to me from a couple weeks past keeps resonating. Why not expect to lose 2 lbs. a week? That is playing on my mental tape recorder these days.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the end of summer. If there are any other Johnny Depp fans amongst us - "Pirates of the Caribbean" is a JD feast! D and I loved it and keep in mind that he based his character on Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.

Drink your water!!!!

Hi Ledom! You know, there’s a LOT of us who have been at this weight-loss thing our whole lives. I think we almost brainwash ourselves into thinking that we’ll never be able to do it because we have such a long track record of failure. For me, it ended up almost like “going through the motions” — I knew I wasn’t happy being fat, I knew I didn’t ever want to give up the dream of getting rid of the weight, so I’d rejoin WW for the thousandth time — because that’s all I knew to do to lose weight.

But I never BELIEVED that it would work, since it never had before. For me, it took something that was radically different (exercise—cardio and weights) — and pretty strict (the diet) — that gave me results right away and really let me BELIEVE that this time — of all the hundreds of times — it would work. And it worked because I decided that this time I would not quit until I reached my goal. Kind of like I reached a point in my life that — hello — I was 46 years old and decided that I had spent quite enough time screwing around. I wanted to LIVE the life I had always dreamed of — Thoreau has a great quote to the effect that his greatest fear was to come to die and realize that he had never lived. That was my greatest fear too.

Personally, I have to track calories and weigh and measure and all that stuff — still do every day. Otherwise I am way over where I should be with calories, even if it’s all clean food. But I’m used to it now and it doesn’t bother me (and I have four sets of measuring cups and spoons and an awesome little digital scale). :D

Meg

Well I am back from my vacation and I wasn't as strong as Meg was on hers. I ate some things I shouldn't have and I did indulge in some spirits. Now I am paying for it. I am sick and so is DH. He stayed home again today but I had to drag myself back into work. I was going to make this my 6th week of BRx but since I screwed up last week I am going to make this week 5. Hopefully I can redeem myself.

Meg glad to see that you are back and in action!

My head is hurting so I can't type for much longer.

Thanks for your response. LOL at your 4 sets of measuring cups because I know what you mean, you need a lot of those. I too have a nice digital scale but probably need to boost my supply of measuring cups. OK, I will start tracking cals again. I have had a break from it for the last 6 weeks so I'll face that music again. I think the key to making it easier is to be more organized about it, having the usual foods calculated in front of my notebook for easy reference, etc.

On the mental aspect of it all. Yes, you are right. I have failed so many times that it is hard to get beyond that. The thing is, and this is a ramble, in the 4+ (?) years I have been posting here things have gotten better. Do I feel like a failure? Well yes and no. I have made a little progress and have adopted MUCH healthier habits (thanks 3fc), but ultimately yes - I am not that much closer to where I want to be. I sometimes think about how anyone who might be following my journey must have given up on me long ago - but what matters is, have I given up on me? I agree that seeing some "right away results" would sure go a long way to helping my frustration.

I have a girl friend who is also turning 50 this year and watching her handle all the emotions that come w/ this benchmark has been so helpful. My age does put a new light on how I view what I want out of life.

Thanks for your encouragement.

For me, the trick is exercise. All the diets in the world won't help me if I don't exercise, adn do it almost every day. It took me a LONG time to get to the point of accepting that. I want my magic pill, darn it, and I want it NOW! /sigh

I lost about 30 pounds a couple years ago, one pound a week average. And that was pretty much by working out 2-3 times a week. Now I'm trying to walk at least 30 minutes every day and work out (cardio tape or lifting) 5 times a week. I'm counting my calories (or at least being aware of them and recording them) and aiming for 2000-2500 a day. That may seem like a lot, but my 300-lb body can take that much and still lose 1-2 pounds a week. Eventually, I'll have to go for fewer calories. But if I eat good healthy food, it'll be fine. I'm learning to do that. In the past month I've lost about 15 pounds -- about 4 pounds a week. It'll probably start slowing down soon. But as long as I eat well and frugally, and exercise, it'll keep coming off at a healthy rate.

I lifted yesterday morning. I've got it down to about 45 minutes now, with 3 sets of 8 for most of the workout. I've worked up to two sets of 8 on an empty bar for squats and good mornings. I can FEEL the squats in my legs today, so I must be doing them right. As long as I concentrate on form, it doesn't bother me that I'm not doing very many of them. ONce my right shoulder stretches enough to hold the barbell more comfortably, I'm going to add some weight to the bar. The last time I lifted regularly, I had worked up to squatting with about fifty pounds on the bar. But right now, I can only hold the barbell in position through one set of eight before the painful twinges start. I don't want to lose control of a loaded barbell anytime soon (or at all!). And I'm encouraged that I can get through eight of them (and eight good mornings) before I have to take a break. Two weeks ago, I could only do three squats before I had to get the bar off my shoulders. So it's stretching out, slowly but surely. Keeping a lifting journal really helps me see how I'm progressing.

Speaking of stretching, I've started using the standing section of my stretching tape after lifting. It really helps alleviate some of the achiness the next day.

Had a great workout this morning!!!!! Started with deadlifts. Then did squats, leg press, and ended with stiff leg deadlifts. My legs are already sore.
Went back home this weekend. My sister has lost 65lbs! I am so proud of her. She has stuggled with weight her whole life. Not just 10-20lbs like some, but 100-150 extra on her tiny 5'3 frame. I showed her some weight exercises she could safely do at home. There is NO gym in my home town. Also showed her how to use the stability ball. The last major episode with her was a backwards somersault off the silly thing. EEK!!!! (Her son's response was, "Mom....if you do that again I'll get the video camera and we can win some money!" Ah the mind of a teenager!

Still getting to know your names! This is a great place! Here's to a great afternoon and evening!!!!!!:flow2:

After 9 days of vacation, I'm very glad to be back! Had a great time climbing and hiking in Yosemite, slurping my way through vineyards' tasting rooms throughout Sonoma Valley, and being a tourist in San Francisco. I ate clean for the first 4 days, but then...too many tastey choices on those restaurant menus! Luckily, our first stop after getting the rental car was a grocery store where we picked up a cooler and some clean staples for everything but dinners, otherwise the damage would have been far worse. It felt weird to be eating without measuring everything and using fitday, tho :lol:

I'm a weigher and measurer and calorie counter, too. Otherwise I end up with either too much of the wrong food, or way too little food. I'm currently following the calorie zigzag outlines from Leanness Lifestyle, but not the macronutrient proportions. It worked well for me before, and I hope to peel off another 10 or so pounds of fat this way.

Lifted yesterday, chest and tri's, and was pleasantly surprised to lift heavier than before I left. Ahhh, rest is a wonderful thing :) Today I did cardio, abs, and shoulders. I sure feel those abs, could hardly finish.

Ledom- I understand your frustrations and outlook- I'm a month away from 49. I had that lightbulb moment at 46 like Meg. I did not want to spend the rest of my life controlled by food and my fat. At this point, I feel really pressured to be who and where I want to be NOW. Living this lifestyle seems to be the only way for me to be that person. I've always exercised, but never eaten clean before or lifted HEAVY. This works for me, but I have to be 100% on my nutrition.

Hello to everyone else- sorry to be so general, but I'm falling asleep. Think I'm catching dh's cold. Another vacation souvenir to go with the 2 pounds :dizzy:

mel

Welcome home, Mel and Kempyd — so sorry that you’re both feeling sick — crappy vacation souvenirs. :( Feel better soon!

I walked on the treadmill for two miles yesterday — one mile in the AM and one in the PM — at a stately 3 MPH. It felt weird to be going so slow, but that was all I could handle. It hurt, since my knees and thighs are all stitches and staples, but not unbearably so. After the morning session, I felt invigorated, but after the afternoon one, I was just wiped out and had to come home and elevate my feet (of course I fell asleep). I’m going to try for three miles today (at 3 MPH) and see how that goes. It just feels good to be doing something with my body again besides lying in bed. I feel less swollen today, which is the goal, though the #$%&* scale is still up 9# (OK, Ilene, you can yell at me now :D ).

BTW, Ilene, what are we working out today? Legs still sore from Monday? How’s the eats?

Synger, I totally agree with you on the exercise. I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I never could have lost the weight without it, both cardio and weights. In the beginning, I made myself do it and somewhere along the way, I got addicted. :D

Back to the topic of maintenance — a while back I think I posted that I had applied to join the National Weight Control Registry, a study and database of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for a least a year. I completed all the paperwork to enroll and just got a huge packet of questionnaires in the mail. They range from questions about my diet history (needed a few extra pages for that!), to how I finally lost the weight, to what I eat in a thirty-day period, to how much and what kind of exercise I do. Interestingly, there is a whole series of psychological questions about how I feel about my life and respond to life events and stress that, on the surface, are not food or weight-related. I guess that how we perceive and cope with our lives has a lot to do with how we deal with food. If anyone is interested, here’s the link to their web site that talks about how to enroll and lists the papers that they’ve published based on their findings from the participants. http://www.lifespan.org/services/bmed/wt_loss/nwcr/

Have a great day, everyone!

Meg

Hi girls :wave:

jackieO I don’t consider myself in “great” shape I’m just
“OK” and I do my best like everyone here... You say you cannot “afford” to take a break, but you really should every few months take a week off. It turns your outlook right around I find. I was very happy to get back on track, and ppl at the gym actually noticed I wasn’t there, and here I thought I was going unnoticed!! :o Another thing that taking a good rest does is that muscles are made during rest and a week off is just the ticket to rejuvenate ...

ledom Are we on for a Challenge girl?? Sounds like a great plan!! I too am keeping track of my calories and weight, I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, WANNA SEE THAT :censored: SCALE MOVE DANGIT!!!!!!!!!!! I agree Ledom that planning is very important, and I’ve been good at it so far this week!

MEG!!! Are your legs screamin’ in pain!! OMG mine STILL are and it’s Wednesday!! My whole upper thigh in the groin area, the glutes, hammies, I can barely sit on the toilet, when I get up from anywhere I: Oooh! Aaaah! Ohhh! and walk like I’ve been sitting on a horse (sorry Karen :lol ) till I straighten out !! Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT by any means complaining because I LOVE, LOVE being this sore! Are we a little sick or what!! I cannot say that I have the same soreness about my shoulders tho :( Meg, re the SCALE, you know the drill!! Anyways, YOU are sooooo focused that I’m not worried about 9# weight gain, it’s only water anyways.... Congrats on the treadmill workout!! Good God, 3 miles at 3MPH will take you a freakin’ HOUR!!! I’d die of boredom, but you know how much I love cardio, NOT!!! Oh girl, we had an AWESOME, back and bis W/O!! We are gonna be some sore tomorrow!! Meg if I could take OFF my last 30#, and keep it off, I’d certainly think about that study, but....I ain’t there yet!!!


Kempyd Nice to see you back girl but sorry to hear you’re not feeling well... I too indulged in spirits during my break, I LUV wine!

synger You’ve done great progress in the last month from your healthier eating to your progress with the squats :bravo:

ilive2workout I love showing someone the ropes so to speak when they want or ask for my help. This morning I was watching two new members at the gym, who are workout excessively fast they’re an injury waiting to happen for sure... I wasn’t sure whether to go help them or not. Two older men, one thinks he knows what he’s doing the other has no clue and is walking around the gym in a daze. I find the gym personal really bad that they don’t help new members out much because they want them to purchase some time with a personal trainer. All this does is discourage them and they won’t come back! Go figure the mentality of some gym owners.

mel Welcome back! Sounds like you had a great vacation, except for 2 lbs, that is but that ain’t too shabby you know.... Mel you say: “ I did not want to spend the rest of my life controlled by food and my fat. “ We are still controlled by food and fat although you are at a much lower weight that before, we weigh and measure, count calories, etc... so has it really changed ? We are controlled in a more positive way than before...



My goodness “46” must be the light bulb year!!! I too this year was fed up. Posting here is a blessing because July and August are usually my gain weight months but because I come here regularly I can stay on track...

I have a question for the girls out there who have lost 100+ lbs. How do you stay focused for the last 20-30 lbs??? The thing for me is that I have 25 lbs at the most to loose. I’m not so out of shape that my extra # affects my everyday living, (now don’t anyone here take this in the wrong context I am NOT bragging by any means I could be in much better shape). I find it VERY easy to get off track with sayings like: “NP,I can eat that, this or the other thing I’m not that fat, etc ...” Or whatever excuse I have for that day! HOW do you girls STAY focused for the last stretch?? Are there any secrets you can share with us?!

OMG I cannot believe how long this post is I hope you don't fall asleep reading it!!! There are exactly 4372 characters in this message.... SCARY !!!

Good morning everyone, everyone's input is food for thought. If only we could live on that food! We'd all be thin.

YES Illene - we are on! I love it that we are doing this challenge together.

My work year is gearing up. A teacher, so time and scheduling is going to become even more important in the VERY near future. Will be working today as a matter of fact, getting things in order to start up on Aug. 22.

Meg, I know I have read somewhere your diet story as for amount of cals. you ate to loose, etc. Is there a thread I can go look up someplace?

Kemp, glad you're home. Meg, sounds like recovery is making a steady progress. Mel, I think a 2 lb. gain for a 9 day vacation is perfectly acceptable. It'll be gone in no time w/ your lazer focus.

Sorry I've been pretty silent here these days...yup...another round of lovely meetings this week... :devil: that pretty much eats up my time...very high-maintenance and I am required to sit in some of the sessions... oy.

Mel - I am SOOO jealous of you going to Yosemite! Jim and I didn't get to go last year (as I've stated, we were married there) but we're planning a trip there next month to mark our fifth wedding anniversary :love:

Ledom - I must agree with Meg here...if you have a lot of weight to lose, it's probably best to weigh and measure your portions, PLAN AHEAD - plan those meals ahead of time (along with the workouts - but that's rarely a problem for me so I don't focus on that aspect too much!) and STICK to your plan one day at a time. One thing I have learned during this journey of mine (13 years or 33 years - depending on how you look at it - first diet at 7 years old or my highest weight of 265 at 28 years old) is that there is ALWAYS something to learn about nutrition, fitness, and weight loss. Also - that no one plan works for everyone...I know that many people (including yours truly at times!) tend to treat whatever plan they're on as though it were a religion - and woe to anyone who dares to question or refute any part of it! :( (I've seen it happen many, MANY times here at the 3FC forums and elsewhere). I've read quite a few 'diet/fitness books' and found that often there are 'nuggets' of helpful info in each one, even if it isn't the end-all be-all motherlode. I know with each year, as I learn more and do more, I'm improving in body, mind and soul :cool:

And with that...I must hit the shower since I have to be at work early AGAIN... :s: Later gals!

Lanaii- I can comment on that question. I have lost 80 pounds, and like you, want to lose the last 25. It has been a long journey and at times I feel myself getting frustrated with slow progress. I find it helps to focus on the health benefits, rather than a number on a scale, or even how I look in clothes. Since I started this 2.5 years ago, my cholesterol and triglycerides have improved dramatically. I have been able to get off of my meds for thyroid. I have heart problems and I see my cardiologist less and less. When I start feeling down about the slow weight loss, I remind myself of how far I have come by comparing my blood work results from now and before I started. Also, I think about the money I have spent on nutrition, exercise, and a personal trainer..and it outweighs the financial costs of obesity and the health related problems anyday. I try just to be in the moment and remain grateful for the progress my body has shown me it is capable of- Ashley

I too weigh/measure everything. I use a program called DietPower that automatically calculates the carbs,protein, fat, and vitamins of foods. I really like it. It also calculates your metabloic rate, and it determines what calories you should have from day to day to reach your goal. Pretty Cool. IMHO

Sore, Sore, Sore, Sore!!!!!! I'm sore everywhere except for my back and biceps. I'm sure that will change as of tomorrow when do my back/bi workout! LOL

Lan - I know what you mean about ppl in the gym who wander aimlessly or simply do the exercise incorrectly. I think one of the scariest things I've ever seen was the man on the back hyperextension. He had a 25lb weight plate on the back of his head as he lowered and raised himself almost to a "backbend" position. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. It is truely scary! :yikes:

Hey all


I have been scarce lately too!! Been busy with work, school, workouts, etc. I am also out of town this weekend, and going to be gone for 5 days at the end of next week. Then the kids go back to school!! I can’t believe fall is right around the corner!

Food been doing good….I have upped my calories a bit and that seems to help, and added more dense carbs to my diet. So we shall see. I am also back to doing splits again with my weights. I definitely prefer that!!

Glad to hear everyone is well….and take it easy there, Meg!!

Robin :cb:

I really hate not being able to workout! Being sick is for the birds. If I wasn't afraid my head would explode I would try to lift but with the preassure in there right now I don't think it would be pretty.

I was good and passed off an invitation from the boss man for a burger. Man was that hard. He tried the ole, "but your not working out right now thing". It is amazing that I work in a health club and the owner is trying to make me eat bad. It is only b/c he doesn't want to eat it alone. I used to give in to him last summer but I am working hard on being strong and saying no to the burgers!

Hey all!

Wow you all are hoppin! Mrs. Jim, sorry you are in meetings. You can daydream about lifting later....

Kempy, please feel better soon!

I had a bad bad week so far but it is getting better and today I promised myself that no matter what happens to me today I am in control of what goes in my mouth. I have the whole day planned and it's 1310 calories so I have some room for a bit of a snack somewhere in there. I had to work until 4 am on Monday and then Tuesday I felt so sickly I couldn't eat but 100 calories of lunch. Then Tuesday night it all hit and I broke down and ate a chicken burrito. I ordered it without sauce on top. Then I felt awful all evening - I really do need to stay away from wheat. But today is a good day, I am OP 100% and got my cardio in this morning. Lifting UB tonite. Anybody else have excruciating shoulder pain on some of the lifts? It is particularly hard to do over-the-head lifts. Any suggestions? I am able to do flyes very carefully on a fit ball - my back takes a tiny bit of the motion and that is tolerable.

Good news, the measuring tape is my best friend this week!!! I have lost 10 inches and I'm smack in the middle of week 6 BFL.

I asked my mom what my waist measurement was in high school. (being, of course, the body conscious woman she is, she remembers perfectly) - 24 inches. Right now I'm at 32 inches. I don't know if I'll get back to 24, but I think I will. I haven't had any kids and my upper body is looking really quite good right now. Unfortunately I need to go buy a couple of bras to get me through this in-between stage!

Morning, ladies! I actually got six hours of uninterrupted sleep last night, which is a first since the surgery. I believe that the walking is helping to de-tox my system of all the drugs and medications, which is letting me sleep better. Sweating it out, you know? :D

I walked 2.5 miles yesterday at a speedy (not!) 3.2 MPH. My goal for today is an hour at 3.2. Ilene, it’s not boring! It feels SO good to use my body rather than just lying in bed with my feet up (which has its charms, for sure, but gets old fast!).

I’m not freaking out about the 9# weight gain anymore because I did my measurements yesterday and they all are up 2-3 inches, so it’s got to be swelling and retained fluids. I look like a 5’4” linebacker! :lol:

Ilene — in your post yesterday you said: Mel you say: “ I did not want to spend the rest of my life controlled by food and my fat. “ We are still controlled by food and fat although you are at a much lower weight that before, we weigh and measure, count calories, etc... so has it really changed ? We are controlled in a more positive way than before ...

To me, what we are doing now is controlling the food and fat ourselves, rather than allowing them to control us. We are the active managers, making the right choices and decisions, rather than being passive spectators feeling like we’re out of control. To me there's a world of difference between feeling helpless and controlled by food and feeling like I am in charge of my life. Even if I have to weigh and measure and plan, I am the one in control. I am consciously making good decisions every day for a healthy life. Make any sense?

About the last 25-30 pounds — I think momentum got me through those last pounds. My original goal was to lose 97# and end up at 160, because that had been my lowest adult weight ever. As I got closer to that, I realized that I didn’t want to stop there, so set my goal as a BF %, rather than pounds lost. I just kept on doing what I was doing until I reached 135 pounds and 16% BF. Nothing really changed after that point except that my weight stayed the same but the BF% kept going down over the next six months, to 12.5%. So I guess it’s wrong to say that I ever hit a goal weight — it’s been an ongoing process of trying to constantly improve while at the same time not backsliding. Looking back, there’s no clear line between losing and maintaining my weight, which is why I always say that maintenance looks the same as losing. I know that at WW, for example, there’s a big moment when you reach your goal weight and suddenly you’ve graduated and the world is a different place. To me, there’s no graduation — no end point — this is an on-going process for the rest of my life. And what’s cool to me is just seeing how far I can take this 48 year-old, former obese body! Pull-ups! Pushups! Squats! Size 4! Who would have thought??? :D :D :D

Ledom, here’s a link to a post I wrote a long time ago about how I lost the weight: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23170 It’s a great thread about folks here at 3FC who have lost 100+ pounds. The only “plan” I did was counting calories and percentages of carbs, protein and fat, an hour of cardio a day, and weights five times a week. It worked for me, which is not to say that it would be right for you. Like Karen said, people start seeing one plan or another as a religion and feel like they have to do everything perfectly “by the book” in order to see results. A plan is a good place to start but in the end, it’s you and your body and you’re got to figure out what works for YOU, in terms of your life, and how YOUR body reacts to exercise and carbs and calories.

Have great days, ladies, and keep doing a few extra reps for me. I’m thinking it’s still going to be at least another two weeks until I can workout. :( :( :(

Meg

Hey girls! You are a posty bunch!! And such great information too!

I am home after the day procedure and the part that hurts the worst is the darn IV arm. Go figure! Still undecided if I am heading to work yet tomorrow or not, will see how I feel in the morning.

Meg - I can relate with the slow progress... I am out of the gym for 2 weeks, but I think I will be doing the sllllooowww walking in a couple of days... naughty yes.... but I really need to keep my sanity.

I wanted junk food today, but when it came to getting hubby into the car and get what I wanted... it was too much work! ha ha ha great when you have a George Foreman grill and frozen leftovers to heat up!! Woohoo!

My movies this afternoon were Bowling for Columbine (finally!!!) and Snow Dogs. I picked up the ex-rental DVD for $10 and cried at the end.... aaawww

Anyways... have a good day girls, keep up the chats and I am dying to re-start my second BFL challenge in a couple of weeks!!! Yay!!!

Nola.

Meg --- Do you ever NOT make sense girl!! I hadn't looked at Mel's post that way, and it makes perfect sense.... Thanks for your wisdom too on those last 25-30 #, I just feel it in me bones that I WILL do it. I was at 135 once and I'll get there again. Another thing which has changed in my thinking now since meeting you and the girls here, is that you're never too old to set goals of 135# because it CAN be done at our age....

On maintenance, it's exactly the same as the loosing part we must plan, plan, plan, and stick to it. This is where WW is wrong IMO in making maintenance sound like you can resume eating "normal" again... But what is "normal" ? I prefer to think of it as "clean" eating and "lifetime" changes. I must say that in the last year since I've been more actively involved in this forum, I plan much more than before.

As I'm thinking about WW and all the years I spent mega $$ there, maybe this is all in THEIR "maintenance" plan of making more $$, because if you don't come back by KEEPing it off then they don't make more $$....:shrug:....

BTW Meg, WE had a great chest and tri w/o this morning...:D

Went to see "Seabiscuit" last night, totally LOVED it. D didn't even want to go "Mom it's about a horse!!! Boring!!" She came out of there just talking a mile a minute about it, she didn't realize that Toby McGuire was in it, and she's loved him since "Spiderman" :corn: wise well I had a few handfuls but that's it felt bad about it last night, but I'm over it, one thing I can say is #1. I had less handfuls than before #2. Made the kids buy the smaller size #3 The smaller sizes cannot be refilled before leaving the theatre to take home, soooo there was nothing left on the counter for MOI to eat.... I feel pretty good about that strategy which I think is a step in the right direction.

Well I must go and get ready I have to be "Taxi Mom" this morning...

Later all....

Thanks for the link Meg. After work I'll read the whole thread but reading your first post there is what I was looking for. I know I have to cinch my plan up a notch to really get the scale moving.

Point taken Mrs. Jim about the whole hearted buying into "plans". I have certainly experienced that in my lifetime. Unfortunately, I am one of those who lost it all and then gained it all back, anyone remember DietCenter? That was half a lifetime ago in my mid twenties. I have so many facts on the subject and at one time or another have applied them all! Sometimes it feels like a juggling act. I have some of the balls up in the air, but I forget one that is essential and so I am frustrated. It is a continuous job to remind oneself of all the things you have to keep in place for weight loss to happen.

I am inspired at the moment. I think you are right about the hr. a day cardio Meg and that is something I am really going to have to work on. Tiredness factor is one issue there, but also what, where, when? It is something I need to work out. I am a daily exerciser and have been for years, I just need to add to what is already in place.

And on a positive note, I am graphing my daily weight. I am totally into that and so far that graph is making a nice downslope. Only problem is, I am still covering old territory - been there at this same weight all too recently. The yo-yo has got to go.

...I think I'll go outside for awhile...and just SMIIILLE...just take in some clean fresh air... :sunny:

Meetings' over for a bit...today is my department picnic (our company has sooo many people we don't have an entire company picnic - last time we had an entire company gettogether they rented out the entire Sony Meteron in San Francisco!). We're all going to take the ferry to Angel Island this morning...Mel was there, what, a week or so ago? The weather has been GORGEOUS and I'm really looking forward to bike riding around the island - a pretty hilly ride for sure, as Mel can attest ;)

Just feeling SO GOOD right now...slept like a baby last night - so did my naughty kitties :devil: woke up at 4...got to the gym full of vigor and energy and tackled those weights (chest/tris)...10 minutes of guerilla cardio...and I was outta there...

Ledom - I remember Diet Center QUITE well. In 1978 when I was 15, I spent the whole summer on that plan. At the time, you were required to weigh in every single day (except Sunday). I was babysitting during the week - most of my babysitting money went to pay my weekly fee, which I remember was $25. I recall that breakfast consisted of hot water with lemon juice and a potassium supplement (yummy). My daily regimen was to not eat anything other than the lemon water until I went in to get weighed (on my way to my babysitting job) around 11:00 am, then of course I was starving...so when I got to my babysitting job, I would make myself something to eat, binge for an hour or so...in the evening Mom would make me eat some protein such as baby shrimp...that would be it...and of course Saturday and Sunday morning was binge city. :( the first week I lost something like 5 or 6 pounds (I weighed around 160 at the time, as I recall). Over the next, oh, 8 weeks I was on the program, I lost a total of maybe 10 pounds. (I started using laxatives at that time too, to try and make the scale move downwards faster). UGH. What an unhealthy program that was...

Ilene - I LOVED Seabiscuit - want to see it again before it leaves the cinema...this weekend we already have PLANS though...besides everything we usually do - one of our fave live groups TOWER OF POWER is playing the county fair on Saturday evening and we must be there!!! We see them every year - they are just awesome. On Sunday, Pete Escovedo is playing - Jim is buddies with his nephew and wants to check him out. So all in all, a fun weekend is in store for us :cool: along with the horses as usual...

Meg - awesome post as always - you hit the nail on the head ;) I believe that change is necessary and good - Laura Ingalls Wilder said "everything changes, nothing stays the same". Changing up both workouts AND nutrition at intervals keeps things interesting and helps you learn and progress, IMO. Boredom is NOT a good thing...

Gotta run and get in the shower before Jim wakes up!!! Oy!

OK, Ilene, we have it in writing -- your goal is 135 pounds. You are now officially committed! (how tall are you?)

Of course you can do it! Who in the world is going to stop you -- except you yourself?

So beware the :corn: devil and keep your eye on the prize!

Meg

MRS. JIM!!! TOWER OF POWER!!! Shake it for me, girl!

Hope Meg & Kanola are feeling better today... I wish I could say my workout this morning was a good one but I just felt really weak and wanted to crawl back into bed. I am not a morning person and afternoon workouts are MUCH better for me. We'll see about tonight.

I have a coworker who also eats the EAS bars. BTW the Myoplex Lite is only 190 calories (chocolate - peanut butter is 200) and these really do help me stay OP. Anyway, we now have an EASter basket full of bars so we won't be attacking the candy machine.... we take turns with different flavors so we don't have to spend mucho dinero to try the different ones - there's always a variety. Great to have a EASter buddy!

Have a good one all....

Darn MEG now everyone knows!!!! SHHHHHH :lol:

I am 5'3"... not too darn tall!!!

Ok......I need the proverbial kick in the pants....I am not motivated to workout tonite. I don't know why. Maybe I am just blah about things, especially work. I know schedule wise, I am way over extended with work, school, and losing weight - planning does take time sometimes!!

I am glad to see everyone so motivated!! Pass that along please!!

Robin :cb:

Boy do I hate this. I feel like I shouldn't even be posting anything since I am not lifting right now. I feel like I don't have anything good to talk about.

Kemp -- Keep posting it will motivate you....

Robin -- :vibes: passing along some motivation to you too....

Meg -- We had a suberb w/o this morning!! Legs and abs. I've gone back to the Escalating Density Training.... OUCH, it's only been an hour and I feel it already when I try to sit down! Did squats, leg extensions, and lunges à la EDT. Feels good.

Today we are going to a spaghetti-Q, I thought my g/f originally invited us for a BBQ but she decided to make spaghetti. I really don't feel like spaghetti at all, I find it such heavy food to be eating in this type of weather it's stinkin' hot and humid here. I'll have to be very careful with the WHITE carb because it can put me to sleep. I sure do hope she has a salad or veggies of some kind, she's not the type to make super healthy foods...:sigh: I'll have to work around it.

Later all, I have to go water the flowers and do housework...

Goodmorning, I finally got myself back to fitday yesterday and it was a revelation to me. I stopped eating a little earlier in the day than I intended because I'd already topped 1600 cals. I was also surprised at my percentages (I'm thinking of your nutrition proportion guidelines Meg.) Glad I stopped, I was down a lb. this a.m.

OK fitday users, I don't think I am getting all the ins and outs of using it. All I can do is calculate the days calories. How can I go in and pre-plan for the next day and how do I keep it as a journal? Each day I get a fresh page, but no way of reviewing the day before because it is gone.

Ledom- I've never had that problem. When I click on the lefthand arrows beside the date, it shows me what I ate yesterday. Clicking on the right hand arrows goes to the next day, so you can pre-plan. You can also highlight and copy, then paste it into a word doc to keep an easy log of "good day" menus without clicking back to search for what you did.

Still fighting a cold/sinus infection, but have gotten in all workouts so far. I'm no't sure it's good or not. Dh insists I need the energy to fight the infection, but I actually feel much better after the workout. Leg day was a little woozy and I'm still incredibly sore, but after being off last week, I really wanted to make sure I started up right away, sick or not.

Ds had his first root canal yesterday to repair his camp-acquired tooth damage. He may have to have a second on the other front incisor next week. He was a real trooper, took it much better than I did.

Today is back and bi's- don't feel like it, but will try to push myself.
Have a good day all.

mel

AH-HA - I knew it couldn't be as complicated as I was making it out to be! Thanks Mel. Sorry you are still under the weather, take it easy.

I saw the lightbulb come on from here Ledom!! :lol: :lol:

Good for you too ledom for stopping at 1600 cals!! Being down a pound will certainly motivate you...

My legs are sooooore MEG!!!!

Since I was on Angel Island I didn't hear about the massive power outage until 6:00 pm Cali time...hope y'all are okay! :?:

BTW Angel Island was GLORIOUS. Perfect, warm weather...after I got in some protein (in the form of boiled jumbo shrimp mmmm...) I grabbed one of the rental bikes and went with a few co-workers on a workout of a ride around the island's Perimeter Road (I believe Mel was just there the week before, right? ;) ) From the road, you get these INCREDIBLE views of San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, the GG Bridge, Sausalito and Tiburon. Natually *I* didn't bring a camera, but found a photo of the view on their website...no grey clouds yesterday though!
http://www.angelisland.org/images/Golden_Gate.jpg

Naturally I'm spending the day getting caught up here at work...since I was unable to most of this past week!

Actually, I hiked to the top. Gorgeous 360 degree panoramic view of SF, Marin County, Sausalito, Oakland, etc. Also got a heck of a sunburn which is now beatifully peeling. UGH!

Did back and bi's today. Really hit bi's because I think I've been giving them short shrift at the end of my back workouts. Leg STILL sore to the touch from Wednesday's workout!

mel

Good morning and happy weekend! It’s actually the middle of the night but I couldn’t get comfy enough to sleep so I got up for a while — things seem to hurt more at night, for some reason. Later I’ll lay down with my book, which usually puts me back to sleep.

We have a family reunion this weekend, but fortunately I’m off the hook as far as food and entertainment go, except for chocolate chip cookies :devil: . Ilene, a “spaghetti-Q” sounds just hideous. How did you do? Carbs absolutely put me to sleep too and I’m thinking that one of the reasons that I crave carbs when I’m tired is that my body just wants to SLEEP! Better to sleep in the first place than binge, hmmmm?

Ledom, you’ve discovered one of the main reasons that I use Fitday — to keep the calories under control. I KNOW that they would go much higher than I want if I didn’t keep track of them, even if all I was eating was clean food. And too many calories of clean food will stall your weight loss — unfortunately, there’s no “free lunch” as they say, even if it’s tuna and an apple! :D At first, it seems like a pain to keep writing it all down, but now it’s second nature to me. What I do to pre-plan is just use the arrows to go to the next day and work up a menu plan to fit whatever my goals are. Sometimes I’ll change that as the day goes on, but keep it within the general guidelines for the day. BTW, you can use the “goals” tab to set up parameters for things like calories and carbs and protein etc. Then you can use “reports” to see how you are doing meeting those goals, daily or weekly or monthly.

We didn’t lose power on Thursday but DD (in Ohio) and MIL (in NW Pa) did, but fortunately they both got it back that evening. DH is on the emergency management team for his building (a post 9/11 innovation) and they got activated but all was normal here.

Awesome workouts this week, Ilene! I would so LOVE to work out with you in person — sounds like you are a maniac after my own heart! :cool:

I walked 3 miles on Thursday and 2.5 yesterday and am just counting the days until I get un-stapled and un-stitched. I plan on trying to convince my doctor to let me start some light lifting next Friday, which will be three weeks post-surgery. He calls me a “fast healer” and I have no doubt that it’s because of all the protein that I eat.

OK, I think I’ll try this sleeping stuff again. Have great weekends, all!

Meg

Hi everyone! Meg, I'm so happy you are sharing your progress here and anticipate every new post. I'm counting down to my official start on BFL while lurking and learning from every one of you.

I just wanted to share my experience with Fitday. com. Like most of you, it has become second nature for me, as planning, weighing and measuring. When I'm in a situation where I cant measure, I apply the "3-bite rule."

Anyway, when I used to grocery shop I had a list of what we needed and then of course added what I thought we might have "a taste for" over the next several days. It's just my husband and myself, and I don't even want to think about all the food $ that was thrown out in the trash. I have known for many years that I did this because of my childhood experience - my mother shopped on Saturday, and by Monday all the "goodies" were gone. My best friend's mother made sure the frig was full all the time with whatever anybody wanted, and for some reason that made an impression on me which I carried over when I became in charge of the food.

I started using Fitday July 1 when I started a modified version of South Beach Phase I. The first thing I did was clean out the frig and cabinets, and rearranged so that things I needed to keep but illegal were out of sight. For example, I put all cereal in a bottom cabinet I seldom use/open as well as ingredients for baking. I now grocery shop for clean food and low-gly carbs only. Each morning, I plan my food for the day on Fitday based on what's available. If we are low on food, I just eat what is left knowing I have to go to the grocery store soon. The bottom line is that our grocery bill has decreased considerably because my husband will eat what I put in front of him. And if he gets a hankering for something (fast food) I won't eat, he'll go get it himself. And he is losing weight right along with me. (Now if I can just get him to start lifting!) When it comes time for my afternoon snack or supper, I consult my Fitday to see where my calories are at, or if I need to, excuse the pun, beef up my protein.

BTW, I tried squats this week for the first time, and I now know what someone said the other day about getting up and down from the toilet. I laughed out loud when I felt the hurt, not pain. I consider such events as "little victories."

Have a great weekend, and keep those posts flowing. You all are my lifeline since I have no one here in the real world doing anything remotely close to what I'm doing.

dip:cp:

Good afternoon girls :wave:

Meg – Thanks for asking about the Spaghetti-Q :lol: it went very well I served myself only a half cup of pasta and the sauce on top, had salad and some cheese... What kills me most of the time is the wine of course, but other than that, it went very well.... Oy Meg we had an awesome workout this morning bis, tris, and shoulders.... OUCH!!! I usually don’t go to the gym on Sat. and Sun. but next week we are going to Niagara Falls and I won’t be making it to the gym so I’m doing some extra work this weekend...Yep Meg I can be a bit of a maniac in the gym... BTW food, other than yesterday, has been 100% this week, and this morning I tried a size 14 skirt and it was wayyyyy too big... woohhoo!!

Dip – I’ve never heard of the “3 bite rule”... I’m French so I can be a bit slow at times...:lol: I suppose you only take three bites of the food? I’m happy to see that your DH is helping you along in your journey... My DH will eat anything I put in front of him too, except protein pancake concoctions that I like to make for myself, which is fine, but I DO love them!! I’m so glad you posted that your food bill has gone down, because a lot of people think that eating healthy and clean makes it go up.... Like a bag of potato chips or cookies are cheap!! And WOOHOO on the squats, now you’re hooked!!

Hello Everyone,

I've read through the latest thread and I really like the sounds of it and would like to join you. Hoping I can jump aboard!

So, here's a bit of background information on me. Hmm, where to start . . . OK, at the beginning. Stats first. I just turned 44, am originally from Pittsburgh and have been here in Tokyo for the past 20 years. As a kid I was always very active but at the start of high school (and my mother being diagnosed with cancer) I started to binge eat and really blew up. I stopped exercising much and my weight continued to be a major problem. I guess I peaked at around 20 and don't know what I weighed, maybe around 180 lbs. I was in Germany (major was German) and didn't exercise at all. Just drank lots of beer and other alcohol! Afterward I went to India, where having stopped drinking I started getting things under control. I then went to Japan and that's where I wandered in to a bodybuilding gym and voila! I was hooked. I starved myself down to get the fat off and then started packing on muscle. The place was a really intense place and I loved it. I trained with a guy who went on to be Mr. Japan for 13 years straight. I really really got into it and the fat came off and the muscle poured on. I was obsessed and it was great!

Then, I started gaining fat and didn't like how I looked. I loved being strong but hated looking like a Hulk. And with the average Japanese (well every woman at the time) being into the no-muscle look I slowly got away from it. I could never seem to get the fat off but for me it was either go heavy or not at all. If I went to a gym I craved that going-heavy adrenalin rush!

Well, the short of it is that now I've been staying away from going heavy and have been more interested in getting my weight (fat percents) down. I'm now at about 68 kg (about 150 lbs) and I'm only 157 cm (5 feet 1 1/2 inches tall). I ride dressage and want to have a leaner look. Problem is I can only ride twice a week. I do cardio, jogging, walking, cycling but really have never lost my love of the lean mean body, strong and flexible. That's my goal now. I'm thinking I don't have to stay away from the weights if I can just get it all together and get the fat off. That has always been the problem, too much fat over the muscle. For the past month or so I stopped lifting and though I've lost weight and size I'm not at all happy with the look, because I can feel there is much more fat there.

So, now I'm thinking, with the support I'm hoping to get from you (please!) that maybe, just maybe I can get it ALL together and get that body I've always wanted.

From reading this thread I can see you're all at different levels of training and that's what I find so refreshing. I've checked out bodybuilding sites but the people there seemed to have never had the problem with eating, the emotional ties to food that I have had. But other threads I've looked at on this board don't have that passion for exercise either. I have both and that is the problem. This conflict has meant I've been mostly canceling my efforts out and that has been frustrating and led to me losing my motivation.

Well, sorry to make this so long, but I thought I should give you the background on me.

I don't know what my end goals will be in numbers but I'll know better as I go along by the look.

Well, OK, don't want this to get any longer. Hope you'll all take me under wing!!

Hey Lanaii, the 3 bite rule is that you don't deprive yourself of something you just absolutely *think* you have to have. Take 3 bites and get rid of it. I usually find it doesn't taste like I expected, and realize even the 3 bites was not worth the damage.

Latest example - We went to our State Fair last week and the latest food added this year and featured on our local news - A Deep Fried Twinkie. Yes, ladies, that's right, step right up and eat an instant heart attack. I do believe from the best of my feeble recollection that the newsfolks said it had like over 500 calories and 165 grams of fat. So as we strolled the fair we came upon the Twinkie Wagon. I watched how they were made - first dipped in a wet batter similar to the batter on a corndog, deep fried, rolled in powdered sugar and drizzled with your choice of chocolate, strawberry or raspberry goo. Whip Cream was optional. There were 4 of us and we figured one split between us wouldn't be so bad. I had one small bite and almost tossed my cookies it was so rich. There was no way I was going to take 2 more bites of it. As a former bread, pie, cake, cookie, pastry carb lover, I was proud of myself.

Most of the food at the fair was illegal and I had a gyros without the pita and scraped as much sauce off I could get. There was plenty of water around too. We sat outside a wagon that was selling eclairs and puffy pastries. And all I could think about was finding a vendor that would be willing to sell my concoction of Sugar Free, very low fat zucchini bread as an alternative to all the other garbage food available. The price of a mini loaf would be costly as I use Splenda, but we paid $6 for that deep fried Twinkie. For those of you who don't know what a Twinkie is: http://www.junkfoodnews.com/twinkies.htm

Eating clean is cheaper than buying junk and convenience food. I have a deep freeze and get my meat and poultry on sale and stock up. Some times we can get a 1/2 gallon of skim milk for 88 cents. Some one told me milk can be frozen, but I never tried it. I buy things like tomato juice, V-8 and oatmeal at Wal-mart. The grocery store is exactly one mile away but we have no sidewalks to get it to it. Otherwise, I'd be making the walk every 2 days or so and should be able to carry 2 if not 4 bags at a trip. The town was suppose to start installing sidewalks and widening our road in the spring but it hasn't happened yet, even though they have paid us to use our property for the project. Grrr. The road is too busy, narrow and dangerous at all times of the day to attempt the hike.

blah, blah, blah, blah - ok, I'm done. LOL

Welcome, redballoon!

Welcome, Redballoon! I love your icon! It sounds like you've been on the same lifting/eating path that I have been on for many years, as well. I'm 42, two kids, and was a powerlifter in my 20s. Amazing how much has changed since then! I've been lifting again since about April here at home, I started setting up my own free weight set, and my daughter and I lift together.

We also ride together. That is a slightly more recent development, but we've both ridden mostly western pleasure quite a lot in the past. I'm going to be doing hunt seat, mostly because the horse I'm buying is pretty much western pleasure trained, and this is a good way to do english with a western horse. Nickie (my daughter) is still deciding which way to jump (no pun intended).

I also run, do pilates, and for fun do the WATP and Taebo videos. I've learned a LOT from the folks here, and from the stickies on the top of the forum. It's great to see you here!

dipthong, RavenToy, Thanks for the welcome. Raven, glad you like my avatar. I was going to change it to better reflect the new me (as it comes along) but I've grown fond of it (have always loved hamsters, that's why I picked it). I also like the reminder of me shoving food into my face like a hamster, carrying it all away and packing it in their dens for future?! use, hard times, whatever!

Yes, I'd seen that you and some others are into horses. I was also interested in the name of your beauty, Arashi Rei. It sounds Japanese, could be translated as "Storm Spirit (Ghost)" in Japanese. Is that why you named him(?) that?

Powerlifting? Yes, I think that's what you would have called me too though I didn't compete. With all the fat I wasn't near bodybuilding, it's just that I really trained the whole body. I hate to ask you what your squatted . . . but what did you squat? Pilates is great for riding, especially dressage. I need it for my stubborn and very feisty Haflinger mix. Maintaining position on her is a real core muscle builder. Problem is I find the Pilates tapes I've bought so incredibly boring they turned me off the exercises. Any tips there to getting/staying motivated. I never got far enough to even learn the exercises. Any suggestions on THE ones to learn whether I like 'em or not?

dipthong, love the tale of the fair. Really makes you wonder what people are doing when they eat calorie/sugar/fat bombs like the ones you described. I'd line up for your zucchini bread. I bet if you tried you could get a nice business going. There must be lots of people who are trying not to eat unwisely but when there's no choice they're likely to just buy what's offered.

Well, I'm going to head to the gym soon here myself. I'm 13 hours ahead of the East Coast so it's already going on noon Sunday here.

Looking forward to meeting more of you, especially Meg, fellow Pittsburgher!

Bye for now.

Wow.... looks like this group is really going international!

Welcome to the new people, I have been almost non-existant lately, but I am coming back!

Went to the gym for the first time since the day procedure and did a light 20 mins on the treadmill. It was good to get back into it, even if it is slowly. I don't have staples and stitches like Meg, but you are so inspiring!! I tell myself that if she can be out walking... so can I!!

It is a cloudy windy day here in Melbourne. Yesterday was beautiful, it was just a taste of spring... but now we are back to the cold weather today :(

Took the motorbikes out in the hills yesterday and I had a great day. Hubby is out with one of his mates today too, but I was feeling domestic, wanted to ring my mommy in Canada, and have some time alone. I don't get much of that lately!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Nola.

Welcome Red ... WE LUVS NEWBIES HERE !! :wave:

You've been around the world haven't you? That's awesome.

I'm really tired it's almost midnight here and I'm going to bed but just wanted to say hi...

Later all...

P.S. Meg we're working legs and back tomorrow, be there or be square!!!! :lol:

This early morning stuff is for the birds, for sure, but I think I can get back to a more normal sleep pattern after I get my hardware removed. In the meantime, I’m up and reading!

Ilene — I am so up for legs today — wish I could join you for real! What are we doing? More squats and lunges? You did great at the Spaghetti-Q! So you’re 5’ 3” — you’ll look awesome at 135! (Are we all short?? :lol: ) It’s going to happen, I just know it — keep having those good days, one after another.

Redballoon (after the film?) — welcome! Got to ask — where in Pittsburgh are you from? I’m in Mt. Lebanon. Do you ever get back here? You’re totally right about LWL — for most of us, getting to the gym is not a problem but we fight the food demons every day. If that describes you, then you are definitely in the right place! It sounds like you realize that you’re going to have to go back to weights to really get the body that you want — to build muscle to burn off fat. There’s three parts to fat loss — nutrition, cardio, and weights — and you have to do all three, IMO, to get the best results. I’m glad you’ve joined us and broadened our little community some more. BTW, I have a good friend who lived in Japan a few years ago and did a lot of bodybuilding there also. Is that a common Japanese thing or is it unusual?

Dip — deep fried Twinkies! :fr: Yep, heard of them. At fairs now they seem to deep-fry everything, from Twinkies to various candy bars to Oreos to anything that they think of to throw in the fryer. Just what we all need … riigghht ….When is your official BFL start date? I completely agree with you about the cost of healthy food — never understood people who say that it’s too expensive. I know for sure that my total grocery bill is less than it used to be. First, I consume far fewer calories than I used to and second, what I eat is mostly unprocessed, so is by definition less expensive than all the crap I used to eat. Like Ilene said, think of the price of a bag of Doritos! Or that single-serving pint of B&Js!

Kanola — glad you’re feeling better! Walking, even at my glacial pace, has really helped my recovery and brought some of my energy back. And it’s a mental health thing too — I need my thinking time. I’m going to shoot for my three miles today and I think I’ll do it on the gym track instead of the treadmill. The track is elevated above the weights and cardio machines, so you can people-watch as you walk, which is quite entertaining. Love watching the “big macho guys” on the bench-press doing two reps with way too much weight, grunting loudly and banging the bar down so that everyone looks and is impressed (not). And trying to figure out which exercise has the most people with bad form — I think it’s the lat pull down — I honestly worry about people injuring themselves with some of the bizarre stuff that they do.

Later!

Meg

G'morning ladies, and good evening to redballoon!

I go to a Ladies Only (trade name) gym and people watch too, although I would prefer watching mucho machos instead of ladies. We have serious participants, and ones who are there obviously thinking all they have to do is a half-hearted program and everything will change for them, NOT! When I first joined many years ago, I had that attitude and quit going because I saw no results. When I started up again in March, I took it quite seriously paying attention to reps, form and time spent. My son's fiance and some of her friends from work also joined at that time and thought they could run in after work and be out in 1/2 an hour. They couldn't understand why I walked 2 miles and did the machines for at least an hour - they thought I was just a slow, fat old lady. They sat in the hot tub while I worked. They now look the same - I don't!

Meg, my official start Day for BFL will be the day after Labor Day since we will be away for that long weekend. I committed to the Labor Day Challenge in the Buddy section upstairs and will see it through. Beside using this time to mentally prepare, read and learning the weight-lifting exercises, I need to spruce up my area in the basement. I have been accumulating equipment at auctions the past few weeks but need to make the area more pleasant. There is a 12' walk-out sliding glass door which allows plenty of natural light and a view of our 4 acre backyard, but the basement isn't finished. I'm thinking about hanging bright colored sheets or even cheaper, shower curtain liners along the walls to hide the "stuff" and I need to add some mirrors.
My trusty treadmill remains in the LR facing the TV in the FR, but I find myself using that time for thinking too rather than trying to hear the TV over the noise from the treadmill.

My intention when I start BFL is to lift every other day and do cardio in between. I have been taking a scoop of EAS whey protein powder after lifting to boost my protein intake. I have a question for you experienced gals - do you or have you taken Creatine?

Have a great Sunday!

dip

Heh Meg, I just got in and can write a line before I MUST get to bed. I grew up in Mt. Lebanon! Just had to say that. When I read your post. Wow! Will write more later.

Hello all, Yesterday I got to the gym and hooked up with a lot of familiar faces from my gung-ho iron-slinging days. The old gym I used to train at then was bought out by Gold's and those people got memberships. I'd been a Gold's member mostly because the hours and locations were good for me but I still liked going to the old sweat pit occassionally. It's sad to know it's gone but Mr. Nippon was there yesterday and working out and he really gets the place going. There were a lot of women going pretty heavy too so it relit that old fire in me and I did a heavier than usual workout.

I think I definitely going to go heavy again but really work on getting the fat off.

**********

Hello Kanola, riding bikes, that's cool. Sounds like a lot of fun. Is that you in the picture under your name?

Hello Lanaii1, Thanks for the welcome. Yes, I got a lot of traveling in before I kind of stuck down here in Tokyo. That's a trip in itself though so I don't feel deprived. How did your leg routine go? I did legs yesterday too. It's amazing the muscle I still have for squats even though I haven't done them in a long time. Nothing like some other women going a bit heavy on the racks next to me to get the competitive juices going. But balance, balance. This is what must be my mantra. What's your favorite leg exercise. Of course, it's regular full-down squats with me. You do back with legs? Hmm, I work chest and back. What kind of split do you do?

Meg, oh, yes, Mt. Lebanon. Like I said in my little post last night (got in after 1 a.m.) I grew up there. Have you been there a long time? Yes, my user name is after the film. I had always thought of the red balloon as it flew out of reach of the little boy as being similar to the elusive `body I want!' Actually, it's been so long since I saw the film (in highschool French class) that I think that's not the theme of the film at all. It's more about the balloon befriending the little boy, isn't it? But that's what I remembered and when searching my brain for a name to use for some reason I hit on that. Also, I have red hair so I thought it apt.

I rarely get back to the States these days. I just don't have any money because of my expensive riding habit. But sometimes I do. My dad is in McMurray, my sister in Philly. We still have the old house in Mt. Lebanon and when I go there I go back there too.

Oh yes, I'm ready to get it all together this time. I am very aware of what that involves and I'm psyched this time. Yesterday at the gym I was saying to my old friend (Mr. Nippon) how I'm thinking of going heavy again. He has never gotten away from near competition condition for the past 20 years, just kept getting bigger and better. He is so inspiring. I said how I could never seem to get the fat off and he just goes, ''Well, that's because you train hard and then go and eat and drink whatever you want, so what do you expect?!'' He is so logical and so right. I had to laugh. He just seems to never have to fight the food demons. I just have to stop being so self-indulgent and become a bit more like him.

Your friend in Japan, male or female, Japanese or not? No, bodybuilding is still in the realm of freak shows here for the average person. A woman into weight training (heavy) here has to be a real maverick. Even the men do. Unfortunately the contests are geared for more who can get the more fat off so you wind up with a lot of very scrawny looking winners (the women). It's a shame.The woman who do pack on the muscle won't win. They tend not to compete but there are very few of them anyhow. Powerlifting is quite popular (relatively speaking). But none of this is out in the open.

diphthong, I've never taken creatine but know it can cause a lot of weight gain in women. I've always gone totally natural and have no problem putting on muscle. I'm also a vegetarian. I think a lot of people training these days look far too much to supplements and would do better to gain confidence in what they can do on just hard training and good wholesome food. It's also a lot cheaper!

YIKES!!

I take off for the weekend and y'all were quite busy :lol:

Welcome, Red Balloon :)

I have had a rough last few days to say the least. Long story short.....I am in a job now that I can't stand. I took it after being on unemployment a few months, and the money was good and the hours were also......I come from a retail sales background, so working days and M-F was very attractive. But, it was business to business phone sales - glorified telemarketing. I found out rather quickly I did not like it, but it paid the bills. Needless to say, I have not done well - this company has overhired, and the people hired with me or after me are having problems also. What it boils down to is they are trying to make me quit. Friday my boss was using the fact that I check in with my kids constantly during the day on the phone, and she wrote me up for that and asked if I needed to be home with them, then asked me if this job was truly for me, and bla bla. I know sales/pressure tactics when I see them, and she was trying to use it on me. While I can deal with that, it still upset me a great deal - I have always done very well in my jobs, gotten good reviews from peers and supervisors, and never gotten written up or anything. So, I was quite upset and just did not want to eat. I wanted to curse her out and quit, but that is what they want.

So, I figure I will start to look for other options....in the meanwhile, if they want to get rid of me that badly they can fire me - at least that way I probably will get unemployment. UGH!!

Thanks for hearing my vent.......I am better now, and only work 3 days this week before I go out of town for another 5...thank heavens!!

Robin :cb: