Thank you, Kelli for starting this post! That's so true about music. In fact I was playing wii Just Dance and over did it because I was having so much fun. I will take it easy tomorrow. In some ways the pain feels kind of good-- as long as it doesn't mess with my sleep or turn into a headache.

Jan, welcome! Jump on in!

Sachicko, I hope you feel better soon.

So, did everybody get in some kind of movin' today? What is your first month plan?

Well I got my walk in yesterday...it was tiring! It is so frustrating being so out of shape. I will get there if I just keep at it though...right?!

Absolutely, Liz! Good job!

Debbie, I walk at 1.2-1.4 because that's what I can comfortable do. You should start where you are for you. I would say any walking counts just to get started.

Thanks Kathy! I'm sort of excited to get started on this which is crazy because I'm just not an exercise person.

I hope to be running by July 4th because we have a 5K run in our town before our annual parade and have always been on the sidelines clapping for all the runners and admired them for their efforts. I would love to be one of those people out there!

Definatley start with what you can do, Debbie. The quickest route to giving up is to overdo it at first.

Keep goin Liz! You will be amazed at what you will be able to accomplish in a few months time.

I got my workout in today, even though i reeeaaalllllyyy didn't feel like it. And you know what? I feel better for it.

Don't forget, everyone, to warm up before your workout and do some stretching when you're done. That will keep some of the soreness at bay and it will help you keep movin!

Looks like several of us are aiming towards a 5K this summer. There is one here in March but that might be a little too soon for me. There is this really fun one called the "mud run" in Little Rock in October and I think i can run/jog it by then. You run through the woods through mud, and you get points for style as you enter the final mud pit. I think I'm going to do one before then, but my hope is that I'll be running that one and not be so self concious about my body in the wet clothes! Oh, and you get to wear your halloween costumes!

sachicko-hope your back feels better!
debbie-i started out at between a 2.4 and 2.7 in August. you'll be amazed how fast your body will get used to that and you'll be walking faster in no time!
thisyear- congrats on fighting your inertia and getting in your workout anyways! this is something i am working on. i know after i work out i feel so great but sometimes it really is hard to bring myself to do it. lol

today was a work day and i work really long hours so i just did 15 mins on the elliptical. I'll do my walk/jog day tomorrow. (provided they dont guilt trip me into work like they've been trying)

Mini goals
 

Ok, so I decided that I needed to actually write my goals and action plan out instead of flying by the seat of my pants. I've come up with 3 goals that I want to accomplish by Valentine's day. Ironically, none have to do directly with weight loss, but I hope that each will help me lose weight in its own way.

They are:
1. Drink a minimum of 80 oz of water each day. (I'm going to increase this next month, but this is a good start i think)

2. Kick the caffeine habit - I have a hundred reasons to do this. I won't go into detail here (unless someone is curious) but I have a plan to slowly wean myself off.

3. Make exercise a habit again. I've written a plan for this as well, but the point is for me to make it a permanent part of my day.

Kelli- That mud run sounds like fun. LOL! Please take pictures. You're goals look great. You can totally do it, especially because you have a plan!

I took today off from all exercise, for the first time in 10 days. I did over an hour total on Wii Just Dance yesterday and wanted to give my muscles a rest. I am actually looking forward to the treadmill tomorrow. Exercising is getting easier each time. I'm very happy about it. :dancer:
How is everybody else today?

Those of you who already working on this, do you start out with slow walking to warm up then stretch then do the number of minutes of walking? (So, really walking those first sessions takes more than 10 minutes?)

Because I'm starting out walking so slow for a short period of time, no I don't slow walk before walking. I do take my time stretching and breathing both before and after. It makes a big difference for me. Here is the chart I printed out and use: capeannweb.com/stretch.jpg

sskar - i only start with a warm up on the days i do more than just walking. generally i stop and do a quick stretch every few minutes for about the first 10 minutes that i'm walking, or until i feel loose.

thanks for the encouragement kathy. i know, the wii stuff gets addictive! i'm kind of in a yucky mood right now. i'm going to work out in a few minutes, so hopefully that will help me snap out of it! lol

keep up the good work everyone!

sskar, I start out slow and then work up to my 2.5mph, do the 10 minutes and then back down the mph for a few minutes.

Thisyear, you're plan sounds great and doable. Good luck to you. I know the caffine part would be hard.

Today I start my second time in week one. Not hard at all to do so I might have to bump up the mph or the time spent on the treadmill. It just feels good to be up and moving again. I have to get Just Dance though, I hear everyone raving about it.

I can already feel the difference. Walking is easier and I am going faster for longer. I'm a little sore and it feels great! :tread:

Week 2
Tues - 12/10
Thurs - 15/15
Sat - 0/10
Sun - 0/15

yay! glad things are getting easier for you. i love love love how i feel once i have been going for a while. i feel accomplished. i only got in about 10 minutes today, which was under what i had planned, but i figured 10 minutes was better than 0.

i'm thinking about taking before pictures, but i don't know if i really want to face it. have any of you taken pictures?

Kelli- Yes, 10 minutes is MUCH better than 0. I go to a Monday night TOPS group and they did pictures last week. I was worried that I didn't have any makeup on and was feeling very camera shy and then one of the ladies said "You want to look your worst so your after pictures look that much better." So, as you can imagine, I'm not happy with my before picture but I'm really looking forward to my after.

I was into my music and just kept going today. I thought I was supposed to do 15 and pushed it to 20. Turns out I only needed to do 10. LOL It's amazing how quickly I'm able to do more and more. In the past I always over did it too much too fast and burnt out in major pain. I had all but given up that I would ever be able to walk at this weight. I'm so glad Kelli started this thread and that I accepted.

How is everybody else doing?

Week 2
Tues - 12/10
Thurs - 15/15
Sat - 20/10
Sun - 0/15

it really IS a case of the more you do the more you CAN do, isnt it? it's so ironic. When I find that I am totally tired and unmotivated to work out, working out is EXACTLY what i'm realizing I need to do because it GIVES me energy!
Anyways, I've been trying to do 25/5 3 days a week and then just 15 minutes of whatever type of cardio i feel up to on the other days. I worked today and it was such a crazy day I forfeited my workout though...(and went home and drank 2 glasses of hard cider lol :o )
The days i do the 25/5, it is so hard but I feel great afterwards. I do 5 different minute long jogs. the first 3 are hard but doable....the 4th one is so hard to keep going halfway through, the last one is torture!!!! but I know I will get stronger and stronger and plan on staying at this level until it gets pretty easy and I know that wont take long if I just keep at it!

Is it too late to join in? I planned on starting the program on Monday anyway, but it would be great to have people to be accountable to/celebrate with.

lol, that's a good way to look at before pictures.

i'm also finding that getting up and exercising makes a world of difference in my energy levels. some days i don't feel like moving off of the couch, but when i make myself just go workout, i'm full of energy to get things done around the house.

Great to have you, lavieboheme. We have all more or less tailored the program to meet our own needs and abilities, so its never too late to join in!
Good luck to you!

Kat- Keep up the great work! Already at 25/5. Very cool!

Welcome, lavieboheme! As Kelli said, we have each tailored our own program to fit where we are. I had to start out at walking 5 min at 1.2 and I'm now at 15/20 at 1.6-2.0 on the treadmill. So, just jump on in!

"when i make myself just go workout, i'm full of energy to get things done around the house" Same here, Kelli.

Week 2
Tues - 12/10
Thurs - 15/15
Sat - 20/10
Sun - 15/15

I've already made my exercise goal for January. It's the first exercise goal I've ever made and completed. A personal victory!!! :dancer:

:carrot::carrot:ALL RIGHT!!:carrot::carrot: (I just love that little carrot guy! He's so cute!)

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm excited about getting started, and I already have my sights set on a couple of 5Ks. :)

So tomorrow's my start day. I already walk more often and for longer stretches of time than the first month plan calls for, so on the suggestion of one of my co-workers, I'm going to follow the chart to the letter, but I'm just going to tack it on to my usual schedule, so I'll be adding the 10 minutes the first week calls for to my daily totals, BONUS for the exercise forum!! :cool:

I've got my bright red Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt for warmth, my sweat pants, and my cross-trainers ready to go. Wish me luck!!!

Wow, I just looked at the start date of this thread. Its only been 11 days and we're already making progress! I'm so glad that you've already made your goal, Kathy!

I'm down another 1.2 lbs this week! :carrot:

Ok my plan for the week:
M - 30 Day Shred
T - 28walk/2jog
W - 30 Day Shred
Th - 28walk/2jog
F - 30 Day Shred

I started this week but immediately began having right knee pain, which is probably from my osteoarthritis. I was hoping that the 40+ pound weight loss would have helped my knees more. Really bummed out. :cry:

Off to find some arthritis forums about exercise. Walking (heck I used to hike mountains!) was always my favorite exercise, and I really would like to not have to settle for water activities. :tantrum:

sskar -sorry about your knees. i know that's really limiting. have you tried an elliptical or a recumbant bike? the recumbant is my favorite when my knee is giving me problems. (permanent injury from a car accident). a rowing machine would be great too., but harder to come by if you don't belong to a gym.

i did the 30 day shred today and YIKES! i had to modify the modified moves! lol but i'm going to stick with it. it just may mean i'm stuck in level 1 for a while. i'm proud that i made it all the way through though. and i'm sure i'll be feelin it tomorrow.

how's everyone else doing?

Kelli - I read the "30-day Shred" - impressive that you can do that!!!

Today I slowed down my walk, although I did the same distance on a hillier route. My knee loosened up quickly, but as soon as I sat down... I realize that going slowly (more slowly than I planned) will be key. If all else fails, I'll head off to a physical therapist for some knee strengthening routines. I had frozen shoulders last year (spontaneous, ewww) and found a great sports medicine clinic that made me feel very comfortable. They offered at that time to help me with conditioning - I really don't want to spend the bucks (insurance probably won't cover this unless I can get an orthopedic surgeon to refer, and who wants to go to a doctor).

Will keep you posted and will keep reading along for inspiration!

Peace.

sskar - glad you found something that works for you! i hate hills... yuck! Thanks for the encouraging words. The 30 Day Shred is no joke, but I'm determined to get through it.

It's rainy and yucky today, so I replaced my 30 min walk with 30 on the bike. Somehow, that seems more challenging to me than walking. I worked up a good sweat, but my muscles are so weak its really difficult for me to get my heart rate up where it should be. But I'm guessing a month or so is all I'll need to see what I want there.

Keep workin ladies!

Update on the goals I laid out last week:
1. Drink 80 oz water daily.... I've been averaging around 64-80 oz a day. I'm going to start actually writing it down bc as the day wears on I forget how many bottles I've had.

2. Kick the caffeine habit... I've lowered my intake this past week, and today is my first day with no caffeine at all. I've already got a headache and some nausea, but its worth it to be free of that stuff.

3. Make exercise a permanent fixture in my life....I admit I have been somewhat lazy. I've been working out IF i feel like it, for the most part. But yesterday and today I have done it because I'm tired of breaking promises to myself.


So, by Feb 14 I should be well hydrated, drug free, and (hopefully) ready to move on to the next level of my workout. :dizzy:

Good job, Kelli! Keep up the good work. Every little change for the good helps.

Sskar, I'm glad you found a way to still be able to walk. Keep us posted on how it goes.

How's everybody else doing?

I have been feeling sore to the point that has been affecting my sleep. So, I took it easy on Monday, only did Wii bowling. Today I did my minimum walk, 15 minutes Wii Just Dance and lots of stretching before and after. I'm determined to make it through this little rough patch and not fall off the exercise wagon, like has happened in the past. So far, so good and I'm feeling pretty happy about it.

Week 3
Tues - 15/15
Thurs - 0/20
Sat - 0/15
Sun - 0/20

Good job sticking with it. It's tough sometimes.

I'm a little disappointed today because I just realize that I accidentally drank caffeine yesterday. lol Forgot thta Barq's has "bite." So back to square one...

It's unseasonably warm today. In fact I was sweating taking the dogs out this morning. It's supposed to be warm (50's and 60's) for the rest of the month, and this is to me the perfect weather to get outside exercise in. I hope it will stay this way because I really prefer walking outside to my statoinary bike.

Time to drag myself to today's workout!

Week 3
Tues - 15/15
Thurs - 25/20
Sat - 0/15
Sun - 0/20

I start my week on Sundays - just habit.

Week 1 walking so far:

Sun 14
Mon 20
Tues 18
Wed 0
Thur 22

Well, what do you know? On my very first day of Couch to 5K, I slipped on a hill on the way to the walking trail, and I managed to break my ankle. So I guess the training has been put on a slight hold. :(

But that's not going to stop me from eating on plan and still doing a little swinging around on my crutches! I will re-join this challenge sometime in late March or early April when the cast comes off. In the meantime, I'll be watching and cheering the rest of you on!! Keep up the good work!

OMG lavie! Talk about discouraging :( not to mention painful!

Wear your cast or walking boot as a medal of honor in the battle to be fit. Please stick around and cheer us on. (I need all the encouragement that I can get!)

Maybe folks here can come up with creative ways for you to be "active" :chin: Also check out the overcoming obstacles forum for some suggestions, even though your obstacle/disability is temporary. :hug:

lavieboheme, I'm so sorry to hear that! It has to be challenging to not fall back into bad habits. Good for you on staying strong!!! I look forward to your speedy recovery and return to the challenge this spring. :carrot:

Ouch! So sorry about your ankle! It's great that you are determined to stay on plan through this. Remember we're here to lean on any time you need it!

You're all so sweet!

As it turns out, the fracture is not as bad as they first thought, and, while I can't run for sure, my doc gave me the ok to bear weight as tolerated, so I will be doing a somewhat modified version of the plan to start with, at least until I get my walking boot next week. But I'm back on the horse tomorrow, with an 8-10 minute walk planned, with my walker, depending on how well I tolerate being up. Wish me luck!!!

I'm glad to hear that, Bo. Keep us updated.

Week 3
Tues - 15/15
Thurs - 25/20
Sat - 25/15
Sun - 0/20

Week 1 walking:

Sun 14
Mon 20
Tues 18
Wed 0
Thur 22
Fri 0
Sat 20 (4 mph!)
Total = 94 min

Good job, Jan! :running:


Week 3
Tues - 15/15
Thurs - 25/20
Sat - 25/15
Sun - 20/20

So here's my weekend totals. I sure didn't set any records for speed, but at least I was out there!

Sat=10/10
Sun=15/15

YAAAAAAY!!!!

Wow, Bo! That is just amazing to me. Now I feel bad about missing a workout because I had a toothache! LOL

Ok, so I have just found out that my community is hosting a "Biggest Loser" competition with a $500 prize. :dizzy: I'm wanting to entering it because I think it will give me a little more drive (having to weigh in with others and bc there is an entry fee I don't want to waste). Also, I've lived here for about 4 months now and have not made any new friends so this would be a great opportunity to meet people. My boyfriend and his friend say they will do it as well. This may sound stupid, but I'm worried about being the biggest person there. More accurately, I'm worried about being the only truly obese person there. and I won't be able to keep up in the scheduled workouts with people who only have 20 or 50 lbs to lose. It's silly, I know, but I really need to talk myself into competing!