Second day in a row. I did Leslie Sansone walk two miles. I walked one and did my back exercises. Makes me feel like I have acomplished something. I just hope I lose this week. I've been at a stand still since 7/14. Although I did lose 11 that week so I guess I can't complain. I would rather see 2 or 3 a week than all in one week like that. It's more encouraging.

I got back to my weights and lifting video today for the first time in 2 years. It took me 45 minutes to find them in my messy office, but it felt great!

Holly, what is a pedometer? Do you hold it or is it actually attached to you? I am always trying to guess how far I have walked.

it looks like a little pager and i clip it to my waistband. i bought the cheapest kind out there, it just counts steps, nothing else. it was $12 at sportmart.

Couldn't go to my aerobics class on Monday because the car was in the shop, but went today. We have a substitute and she spent way too long warming up, not enough actual aerobics, wasn't quite in step with the music, and spent too much time on the resistance and stretching for my taste. Another woman there was saying how much she likes her and liked so much emphasis on stretching. Oh, well. Hopefully our drill sergeant will be back next week!

Tuesday I hallwalked at work in the morning, but in the afternoon I had to go to a funeral for a friend's mom. Didn't feel like doing a tape that evening. But with the walking to and fro from Metro to the funeral home, and the hallwalking I did in the morning, it added up to my requisite 45 minutes a day.

Wednesday I took the day off work to take Gem to the doctor. Turns out she's inherited my allergies, poor thing. So now she's got allergy medicine we can give her when her eyes start itching and getting gunky.

As to exercise, I did my Bellydance Slimdown tape last night for the first time. I have rather mixed feelings about it. It starts really slow, and even through the "warmup" I didn't feel my heart pumping too much. But then they move from shoulder and arm work to hip work. Wow! What a difference. And they have you keep your hands up in the air above your heart pretty much through the whole thing. I can feel it this morning in my sides (obliques), legs (glutes, quads, and calves), and arms/shoulders.

I've never actually had a video tape that used the words "Feel the burn" before. /chuckle And they mean it!

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Sounds like a pedometer is a useful little tool. I've heard of "step counting" programs where you don't worry about time or distance and concentrate instead on how many steps you take throughout the day. I've even read about using pedometers with kids to teach them about incorporating activity into their daily lives. They are on teams, and each team tries to amass the greatest number of steps during the time allotted (like a week). I thought it was kinda cool. Unfortunately, that wouldn't work for me since I wear dresses to work that don't have "waistbands" per se.

Curves really does sound like fun. It's become quite a phenomenon. People who aren't "hard bodies" feel comfortable exercising there. I think that's just great!

I have a couple intermediate tapes that wipe me out, too. I only do them once in a while, but I'm always excited when I can get through them. But the day after is either a rest day or an easy day for me.

Hi,

I did Leisa Hart's TNT thirty minute aerobics at 5:30 am!

Sherry

I'm not doing my DVD walk today. I have to mow the lawn and that will get my exercise in for the day. I will do my back exercise before I go out though.

5:30 am?? wow. i'm not to that point yet. =)

but i DID do 11,885 steps yesterday!

I'm barely getting out of bed at 5:30. /chuckle

You inspired me to look at pedometers. the walking section at about.com has a whole page about them.
http://walking.about.com/library/gg/aabybpedometer.htm

There's also a whole page linking to different walking programs based on how many steps you take.
http://walking.about.com/cs/measure/...ometerprog.htm

One of the programs helps you "chart" your progress as you virtually walk across the US on the American Discovery Trail.

Another one is a program through About.com, where you have support through their walking forum.

So, if you need extra motivation, you might try one of these support programs.

(I've been thinking about hiking a lot, since I'm reading A Walk in the Woods, about hiking the Appalacian Trail. Sounds like it would be a fun thing to do, to track how far you've walked and apply it to a real distance/place. But I just can't get past the waistband pedometer thing. /chuckle)

i've heard of ones that go on your ankle. would that work?

there's always wearing it under your dress, on the nylons waistband or something. plus you wouldn't be looking at it all day, like i do!

I'm barely going to bed at 5:30.

Good morning,

I did the leslie sansone one mile walk. I'm wiped out today.

Synger, I'd love to try a bellydance tape. I think my library actually has two. I'll have to check them out. I don't want anyone to see me trying it, though!

Sherry

If you're interested in bellydancing videos, there's a long thread (10 pages) over on the Exercise Forum:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=21243

It has quite a discussion of the different videos, classes, and types of bellydancing, and tells you the difference between tapes that TEACH you bellydancing and those that are designed for using bellydancing movements for cardio exercise. I lurked in that forum for a while before deciding to buy a bellydancing tape. They helped me decide which one to buy.

I hallwalked yesterday, then lifted last night for 45 minutes. After lifting I tried the first section of my new Stretching tape. It's a standing section, which is why I got it. Ten minutes of stretching from head to foot. It felt REALLY good. There were only two moves I had difficulty with, because they involved bringing one foot up and holding it while balancing on the other. One was holding your foot behind you to stretch the front of the thigh (quads) and the other was bringing one foot up and over the other thigh like you were sitting to stretch the outer legs. I used a chair to modify the stretches so I could do them. The outer thigh one was WONDERFUL! Especially after doing bellydancing the other day. I needed it.

But I think the most overall useful stretch is one I'm gonna use at work. I'm on the computer all day long, and this one helps stretch out the hands, wrists, and lower arms.

1. Hold your hands together in front of you, palm to palm (in "prayer" position). Your hands won't leave this position during the exercise.
   
2. Move them down and side to side, gently stretching them.
   
3. Press one set of fingers against the other, bending it back toward the wrist. Feel the stretch in your wrist. Repeat on other side.
   
4. Turn them out so they're pointing away from the body instead of up. Turn them out and down as far as you can. Feel the stretch in your wrists and forearms.
   

yesterday i only went a littlve over 8,000 steps. i had lunch with a friend so i didn't get my extra walking in. =(

tonight and tomorrow are moving day, i won't get much actual exercise in but i think lifting things tomorrow might count!

I left my aerobics class after 25 minutes because all the substitute teacher was having us do is walk around the gym. If I'm going to walk, I'd rather be outside at the beach than walking around a stuffy gym. So I went and picked up my dog's special food at the vet instead, and I'll walk outside to get some more cardio in.

I'd like to start doing some "yoga light," but the class I was considering isn't offered at a time when I can do it. Does anyone have any video suggestions? Thanks!