[chick_in_the_hat]

lisa!!!
You are prolly in the spot where I started...judging by how much you want to lose. In other words - I've been where you are, and I wish I had discovered working out while I was losing most of my weight. I lost the weight by counting calories and walking. I was smaller...but still flabby. Since then I have discovered the wonders of resistance training.... - It has taken me a while...since August? But I'm finally seeing some decent definition in my arms and lower legs. Still annoyed by thunder thighs.... - but closer than ever. I'm thinking if I can burn the fat off the top - the thunder thighs aren't so bad, either...
I guess what I'm rambling on about is that this is a life long change...I'm trying not to trip too hard about how long it takes.
As for substituting for exercises that hurt to do - I think all of us here have subsistuted often for various reasons. I'm obviously not Jillian (and wouldn't try to speak for her )...but what I got from her book was that you need to be in control of the calories in as well as create a habit of moving and working out with CONSISTENCY....I switch exercises around at the gym if a machine isn't available or if it hurts like jumping sumo squats. Nothing wrong with that. If the whole workout is too much - maybe shorten the cardio parts during the workout and add cardio at your own pace to fill out the hour. If you keep your heart rate up the whole hour you are accomplishing the task at hand - which is burning calories.
I'm a balanced oxidizer, too...for me the hardest thing at the beginning was getting enough protein. I don't know if you are using a web tool to count calories - but I have found Fitday to be very useful. It has it's drawbacks...I pretty much ignore the calories burned part except for what I log as exercise...it seems like it's way off otherwise. It keeps me honest - and it has handy reports...way better than the excel spreadsheet I used to use. And it's free...
Anyhoo - glad you are here...
I found an open gym today- back day ....I'm ready for a rest day tomorrow!

[ReachingZen]

Happy Monday!
I was supposed to work my front today but took a rest day. I am feeling too queasy this morning. I am not sure if I'm coming down with something or just ate something Sunday that upset things. If all is good tomorrow, I am going to try to do front & back unless that's a no no. I have questions about the book but feel to yuk/focus is bad.

Gina -- GREAT advice! Wow! Congrats on being such a LOSER! Impressive WTG!!!

I am going to try to work, may just blow it off and go home. I hate to leave when I only FEEL sick but am NOT sick...if that makes sense!

Have a butt-kicking day!
-darlene-

[chick_in_the_hat]

I don't think there's any rule against working front and back in the same day....but if you work out the day after it should just be cardio....give your muscles time to repair themselves

[ReachingZen]

Thanks Gina! I am planning long cardio on Wed so guess it won't matter if I do front and back tomorrow then. I had planned on front and about 50 minutes of cardio today. I hate it when I miss but just didn't have the kick today.

Thanks again!
-darlene-

[Mommy'sLosing]

The Exercise habit!!! I work at a ymca, so it shouldn't be hard right??? Well, the thing is, after working 9 hrs all I want to do is go home. Not to mention the fact that I have my 3 kids (2,3 and 6) to raise! Yesterday I did eliptical for 30 mins, burned 425 cals and then went walking for an hour at night. Today was 20 mins on eliptical and 300 cals, plus tons of running around with the kids. I have lost my 27lbs by watching what I eat mostly. I find when I workout I gain weight in the short term. I do notice that since I lost the weight (began July'05) I have gone down a size or two, but it's a slow go. Can anyone make any reccommendations to me about exercise? I have also done weight machines in the past, but again I found I didn't lose weight.

My #1 problem is finding time to myself to workout (hubby does shift work).

TIA

[chick_in_the_hat]

Hi Cheryl!! Let me start by saying on 26 lbs gone!!! I don't have kids - I have a hard enough time fitting in working out...maybe splitting up the workouts to 2 times a 1/2 hour a day?

Obviously my first recommendation is going to be Jillian's book Winning by Losing. It has a whole 12 week workout program with explanations of the exercises prescribed. She also has DVD's. What I like about her system is that it maximizes calorie burning while building muscle at the same time. It comes out to 5 hours a week....
Also quite helpful - (and great reading, too) is stumptuous.com and sqwigg.com. I also like the Body for Life site.
I know what you are talking about with it being hard to lose when you are seriously working out and building muscle. The main argument I have is you will look much better when you make it to goal in terms of being toned instead of empty skin. I am in this spot myself, I am having way more non scale victories in terms of being able to fit into smaller sizes even if the pounds are not showing up on the scale.

[lisa-n]

Hey Gina, thanks for the welcome. Congrats on the weight loss! that is awesome. How long did it take you to lose the weight? I have a personal question for you, and it's ok if you don't want to answer. Do you find you have excess skin? I'm so afraid of having excess skin, part of the losing weight is I want to look good, but if I have extra loose skin, I'm still not going to feel comfortable with my body, but I'm hoping that because I'm young and with all the weights I'll be doing, that I'll tone my skin and make it firmer so that hopefully I won't have much loose skin once I reach goal.

Lisa

[ledom]

Welcome Cheryl - good to see new action here.

Those of you that are starting sound like I remember feeling when I first started. Knees were a big concern then, they have gotten stronger and better with this program though I don't do the really high impact cardio and rely on the treadmill for my intervals. The squats, lunges, etc. are going good. Lisa I don't think you'll know about the excess skin until you get there. Being young is going to be on your side though.

I am stumbling along with my plan now - not much has changed since my last report. Angel - where are you?

[ReachingZen]

Good Morning!
I did front today and the Pilates-ish program I do 3x/week. (Callanetics) I felt better but not up to long torture from JM! I am going to follow my routine for the week as planned and will just miss a back workout this week.

Cheryl -- Congrats on losing 27 pounds!!!! That's great! You are doing something right! The only way I can get my workouts in is to get up early and do it before work. There's no real magic answer... I think we all just have to find a time that feels right and go for it! (Uh...not that mornings FEEL right for me!) I'm so much help, LoL! It sounds like you are doing great so far with the workouts you are doing!

I am using Jillian's DVDs and have not gained or felt that my clothes are getting tighter. I have had that happen with other workouts so do understand your concerns. I think the muscles tend to swell, making things seem worse at first. Like I said, that has not happend with JM's workouts. Perhaps doing the circuits with light weights, no rests is the key! The DVDs are only 30m each so fit into my mornings and still allow time to add on extra cardio/stretching/Pilate-type workouts if I want. Since you work at the Y you may not want to buy weights/step to use at home.

Gina -- You are THE SOURCE of info, girl!! You are so right about weight training, keeping the muscle, etc! I know that I would have a lot more loose skin w/o the weights! Right now, I don't have a problem with that and am 44 yrs old. I am close to where I want be and am not seeing scale loss either. I have been working at reducing body fat more than anything.

JM's program DOES maximize calorie burning! I am burning around 200 cals in 30 minutes. That's a lot for me, esp for weight training! She gets my heart rate pretty high!

Lisa -- I really don't think loose skin will be a problem for you, esp since you are using weights! That makes a big difference! Keeping or adding muscle while losing is the best way to prevent that, as you said!

-darlene-

[ReachingZen]

Ledom -- Hi! I think we were posting at the same time! It's great to hear that your knees have gotten stronger with this program! I have concerns too but so far have not had a problem. I am going to start using my treadmill again each week too. I try to vary my cardio but have been doing mostly kickboxing lately.

Have a great day!
-darlene-

[angel-eyes]

Hi everyone!!!! MISS ME?....lol....I had my girlfriend and her son visiting from Ottawa Canada for a week. They kept me running I tell ya!!.....phew, sure glad I don't have a third boy. I did fairly well eating wise, and managed a good 30 min brisk walk every morning but I'm sure I gained slightly anyways. I dropped them off at the airport this morning and then promptly went to the gym (like a good girl) and did a good walk/run on the treadmill. NIce to be BACK in the swing of things!!!

Did everyone have a nice Easter? long weekend?

Wow....the thread sure has picked up!!! I'll have to do a fair bit of post reading to get acquainted with all the newbies!!! to all of you!!!

[angel-eyes]

Well just got back from a great workout and an allergy appt. Turns out......I have severe allergies!!! NO WAY....and just maybe the allegra 180, flonase and optivar eye drops aren't working these past few years....hmmm.....I'll be taking the scratch allergy test on Sat am to finally get to the bottom of all THIS ITCHINESS AND SNEEZING!!! I've had (seasonal?) allergies for the past 6 years now, and nothing seems to be giving me relief and I keep moving into cities with more and more pollen counts!!!! DUH!!!! The allergy specialist suggested I wear goggles and a dr.s surgical mask while I do my vacuuming!!! huh?

[ReachingZen]

Angel -- Good for you for getting your workout in today! I skipped this morning for no good reason! I promise to be back in action tomorrow or hope someone here will jump thru the 'net to kick me!

(I am having an awful allergy season too and wanted to send a BIG . I have had the testing done and am glad I did. It has helped so much in the past but this year am having to use sprays...one to use 2x/daily and another one as an 'emergency' blast I was starting to feel like I couldn't take deep breaths at times but the sprays are helping with that.)

I need to get back to work now. Just popping in!
-darlene-

[Mommy'sLosing]

Thanks for the welcome ladies (surprised I found my thread again lol) No time to type, just wanted to say hi and thanks!

[chick_in_the_hat]

Hi chickies -

Of course we missed you, angel-eyes!! Goggles and a mask to vacuum? So fashionable...I think it might go nice to go for an Amelia Earhardt look...
Allergies suck, tho....hope they get some meds that work for you!

Rest day today... day 3 of week 12..I really need to sit down and write down a new plan for myself...one that I can come closer to actually pulling off everything so I can see myself moving forward more. You'd think by the second time around I could do 15 push ups three times...yeah, right.....side planks for one minute? Yeah....right..... I even cracked myself up with the side planks - I think it was week's 9 & 10? In my notebook I wrote (and this was the first time around I wrote this) side planks 1 min HAHAHA (even then I thought the idea of holding a side plank for 1 minute was a humorous notion)....is this what Jillian calls negative talk? I spose I might need to contemplate that for a while.