Thanks for all the info...... I do have some green tea and will have a cup in the evening sometimes.
Aphil, I will send you my food intake as soon as I get time. I think you are right about the work out. I am going up on the resistance but am being a little lazy about pushing my self to go faster . I also am doing the same Pilates DVD. It is the advanced one in the set but I have been doing that one since before Christmas! I really like her style though (Windsor Pilates)? Do you know of a similar one that might be more challenging? I have been thinking that I was not pushing my self to go any faster on the elliptical. I think that will do it. A little cleaner eating, a new DVD and moving faster for the same 30 minutes on the elliptical. I do get lazy, I have a hard time getting up there and I will do a good pace but not push my self. I may get a full body weight training with sit ups to do in place of the pilates sometimes?
Amie-if you check out the Collage Video website they sell other videos by Winsor Pilates. (Ones not in the starter/informercial set that you already own) Some of them are more advanced videos, some are specific to a certain body area, such as abs or legs, and other have cardio in them. They also have where you can see a 60 second peek at the actual video you are interested in to help you decide. If you have more than one Winsor video then maybe you can alternate them to shake things up a bit.
To help me concentrate on getting the most out of my workouts I bought a heart rate monitor. The machines at the gym do have them, but I noticed on one machine I would get 170 bpm heart rate and on the same exact machine next to it I would get 120 bpm. They just aren't as accurate as an actual monitor. I really love having the monitor. I use it on my bike rides as well so I have a much better idea of how many calories I burn too.
Sherpamelissa~I too noticed that my elliptical is not real acurate? I need to get one of them. How much are they?
Aphil~ thanks for that web site info. I found the Windsor work out that sounds like the next step up from the one I have and the price is good. $14.95 for the DVD? That is a great site!
Amie sounds like you found a good DVD to use. Good for you! Sometimes shaking your routine up a bit is all yah need. I need to do the same I think. So I am glad you got some insight on it I will piggy back it. Every little change for the better makes a difference. I have been swimming and doing gardening but today plan on going to the gym. I have been maintaining my wt. but want that scale to move. So we are off to go camping this weekend I am taking some healthy stuff along. That will help with choice making. I plan on swimming and walking the pier its about 2 miles out and back. So it will be a good exercise. I have been doing better counting my calories lately and hope to see some changes on the scale soon. But at least so far I have been maintaining my loss from before. I tend to lose kind of slow but keeping it off is just as important as losing it to start with. Take care!
I am up early today, before the kids. I had coffee with Jason this morning before he went to work. Lots to do today! I need to do some sewing work, housework, and strength train today! I have rehearsal tonight for the performance on Sunday afternoon.
I am really trying to buckle down and start pushing myself a little more with my strength training again. I have slacked off with it just a little bit. Still doing it, but not quite as strenuous as before.
I took the kids to the park last night for a bit, and did some work in the yard. My roses are doing wonderful. (Have two plants-one with white roses, and one with light peachy-pink blooms.) They are both in full bloom right now, and every time I remove a "done" bloom there is another blossom getting ready to open up right next to it.
I have a section of assorted flower seeds that I planted in the spring along one whole side of the house that are starting to bloom as well. It was one of those wildflower assorted seed blends. I have NO idea what half of them are, but I have what looks like two kinds of babys breath out there-white and lavendar, some things opening up that look like little lavendar pom-poms , and bright orange little daisies. I have other things getting ready to bloom out as well-some of them look to be pink. The plants are all really high and full too-they look great along the house.
Amie-I am glad that you found a good new video! Yes, their site is great-and you got a good price! Sometimes I can find a video a little cheaper somewhere else, but noone beats the selection that Collage has. They have EVERYTHING, by EVERYBODY.
I have the Mio Petite heart rate monitor. I bought mine on ebay for about $80, new not used. This one only goes on your wrist so you don't have a chest strap. I usually wear underwire bras and I had heard of people having problems with them interfering with the heart rate monitor. I love it. I barely watch the tv at the gym anymore. I really found that reading and watching tv affected my concentration way too much and my heart rate would go down. You do have to put your fingers on the buttons to get your pulse for this monitor to work. I think the ones with the strap don't involve anything like that. Depending on what you are doing for exercise you may have to pause to check your heart rate. When I am riding my bike I just check it everytime I have to stop for traffic or stop signs. Let me know if you have any questions.
I just totally changed my strength training and I'm not sure if it is a good thing or bad thing yet. I read Flip the Switch by Jim Karas and he really advocated a lot of strength training. I didn't do everything he said, but what really hit home is each rep should take at least four seconds. Two seconds up, 1 hold and 1 back. I was really rushing through my reps. Also, he prefers 10/12 reps with higher weights, my trainer had me doing 15 with lighter weights. I understand what she had me doing was for toning, but I haven't really lost enough weight yet to be toning. I need to build more muscle. Another neat thing he mentioned is there was a study that people that pictured their muscle fibers breaking and regrowing as they did the weight training actually saw more muscle growth than those that did not. Now I take special care to look at each machine to see what muscles it targets and think about that muscle as I work it.
I do my reps a little differently-a couple seconds up, a couple down. It is a small variance, but I think the idea he is trying to get across, is to use the muscle and not momentum on the lifting-and to use the muscle going down as well-not letting gravity take its course there by letting them "go".
I train in two different ways-some days heavier weights with less reps, and other days lighter weights with high reps. You will build muscle either way-as long as you train to failure. You have to use weights/reps where you are really struggling to get the last one or two out with proper form. I have also found that I use different weight sizes for different body parts because the muscles are different. I lift heavier for my biceps, triceps, and chest...and I have to go a little lighter with my shoulders and back. The shoulder muscles are smaller than the larger bicep muscle-so when you progress it is very likely that you will need to do this. If I use a strength training video-I have 3-4 sets of weights out there with me.
But-you want to train to failure regardless. That is why if you do heavy weights you do less reps, and if you do lighter ones you do more reps. You have to do more to fully work the muscle with lighter weights. It isn't really that one is toning, and one is strength training. They are both strength training and can both build muscle if done to failure. Both ways increase muscle if done correctly.
You are never too heavy to do strength training and/or toning exercises!!! I am still heavier than I want to be, but have many areas of my body where muscle definition shows through!
Hey everyone! Just popping in for my long overdue post! I've got to catch up on my reading to help me stay motivated. On the topic of strength training I absolutely love it. Come July I will have been doing it steadily for a year and I can completely tell in difference in my body. I still have some weight to lose but I really think it helps with my metabolism. And I definitely feel more confident than before. That's pretty interesting about the visualizing the muscle breaking down. I'll have to try that....anything new to keep me motivated and to continue to push myself. My eating has been horrific but today is a new day....one day at a time right? I've given myself to August to get back to my weight that I hit before our vacation (139). It's completely doable if I just stay on plan. Why is it that sometimes when you fall off the wagon, it seems like a steady downward spiral? Anyways...gotta stay positive! Everyone have a great day!
My eating has been horrific but today is a new day....one day at a time right? I've given myself to August to get back to my weight that I hit before our vacation (139). It's completely doable if I just stay on plan. Why is it that sometimes when you fall off the wagon, it seems like a steady downward spiral?
I know exactly what you mean. I am taking today hour by hour...having a bad day as far as wanting to eat everything in the house, and refraining from doing so. I just started yesterday (TOM) and my cravings for horrible things have been driving me NUTS. I did indulge in a little chocolate ice cream last night, but it was because if I didn't, I would have eaten everything in the entire town to try to avoid the craving.
Ladies, hope I am not jumping the gun but weighted my self last night and again this morning and looks like this last week of upping work outs and eating cleaner has paid off. I have been maitaing 148.2 and did jump up 2lbs then back down?? I am at 146 now! I hope it sticks and continues to move down. I will be thrilled to see a 130's number soon...
Yesterday I did 30 minutes of strength training, 20 minutes of yoga abwork, and I had troupe rehearsal last night for about 90 minutes. We worked for an hour on a sword balancing act with the entire troupe, and then we "ran the show from start to finish" that we are performing on Sunday afternoon. It is an 8 song set, so I am pretty pooped!
I was 100% OP yesterday in spite of my "cravings" so I am pretty proud of myself. TOM is the hardest time for me to stick to plan, let me tell you!
I have a busy day ahead of me today! I'll check back with you later!
Amie and aphil, Congrats to both of you! You're doing awesome!
Now if you could just send some good vibes my way! Actually I stayed OP yesterday and have already done my 3 mile walk this morning. I'll probably go to the gym later this afternoon to get the strength training in. I'm going up to see my parents this weekend and taking back my 2 neices for a couple of days (7 year old twins), so I may not be near a computer till the end of next week. I'm kind of worried about eating, I think the exercise thing will be okay because the girls are really active and I plan on taking them to different places so they can move around and play. When we are out and about I'll just need to make smart choices. I plan on looking at some of the fast food sites to get some calorie info so I'll be prepared. We don't leave until tomorrow afternoon so I'll check in before then. I've got one good day under my belt, so hopefully I'll get some momentum going in a positive direction.
oh yeah...I finally got with the program and adding the weight counter thingy (for lack of a better term) Hopefully this will keep me accountable and on plan. I've gotta go shower and eat some breakfast, have a good one everybody!
Well things have been going good here. Been doing good staying OP and been getting in more excersise, thats always good I weighted in this morning and it said 153 exactely, so I am getting itchy to see those 140 numbers now!
Amie~ Cant wait to see you next week
I am headed to the ocean both days this weekend, I have got to and get some color on this bod my legs are so white and I dont know of anyone around me that dont have a nice tan, except me So I am looking forward to that! I do like living only 1/2 hr from it!!
Looks as though everyone is doing great, glad to hear, congrats to all of you!! Have a great weekend everyone
. I also am doing the same Pilates DVD. It is the advanced one in the set but I have been doing that one since before Christmas! I really like her style though (Windsor Pilates)? Do you know of a similar one that might be more challenging? I have been thinking that I was not pushing my self to go any faster on the elliptical. I think that will do it. A little cleaner eating, a new DVD and moving faster for the same 30 minutes on the elliptical. I do get lazy, I have a hard time getting up there and I will do a good pace but not push my self. I may get a full body weight training with sit ups to do in place of the pilates sometimes?
, and bright orange little daisies. I have other things getting ready to bloom out as well-some of them look to be pink. The plants are all really high and full too-they look great along the house. 
I weighted in this morning and it said 153 exactely, so I am getting itchy to see those 140 numbers now!
and get some color on this bod 