carola
I have a few problems, my main problem is low lung capacity caused because of scar tissue all over my lungs. This happens when you get nasty lung ailments and they are never taken care of or when you have something like a sarcoidosis disease ( which you understand ). Going to the doc was unheard of just about when I was a kid as we were very poor. Now I am paying for it. I had no idea I had sarcoidosis until I went to a new doc. All I knew was from my late 20's the docs had me on cortisones and steroids all the time trying to " clear up my lungs ". Heck they never told me what it was, could be they didn't know them selfs. Not until I had an mri and a doc said well darn they need to stop putting you on those meds they aren't working lol did I know. Doc said the work out my lungs get is a good thing. Stretches the lungs and makes them work better. There will only be so much I can do about the problem but every little bit helps. This was the main way I put on this weight. For at least 6 years I was a walking pill bottle. Now the meds are out of the system, because I am not taking them anymore lol and I am losing weight.

Hi Rennie. I've been on prednisone for over 2 yr. now. My problem now is high blood calcium which ruins the kidneys. I was diagnosed at age 28 and I'm now 58 so I spent about 25 yr. ingnoring it. I got really sick 2 yr. ago with kidney failure but the prednisone brought the calcium down and also the creatinine. My DH is a vet and he checks my blood every few months. I hate having it checked. I don't like the thought of upping the meds. I should say that the blood calcium problem is because of the macrophages in the little tumors in the lungs. They cause the body to hang on to the calcium. Vitamin D has something to do with it, too, and I'm not to be in the sun. Complicated, I know. Besides all this I am unisured.

carolr
That is one med I stay away from. They had me on it a few times for long periods of time and it helped cause me to blow up like a balloon. Was the main cause for the going on 80lbs I put on, plus a few other drugs. Also, they had me on it at the same time i was on antibiotics for pneumonia. Do you know what that med does to antibiotics, makes them useless. They almost killed me that time. I am going in for blood work after Christmas to have everything checked again from cholesterol to minimals. I am sure they will check my calcium levels then too. I want the whole work up done. I have never had problems with calcium levels but I do want to keep an eye on it. Want to know what is going on with the body. I was reading about the kidney problem. Seems like when they try to fix us they make us worse sometimes. I am one of the lucky ones. We have insurance. We pay thru the nose for it lol but at least we have it.

Also
Hubby got me the wrong videos I guess. These are called Shapely Secrets 7 Min workout. I wanted the ones with the deep breathing exercises. Going to do these anyway. Everything has to help nothing can hurt. He knows a lot about exercising and watched the video. Said they won't do anything fast but they will help to tone a bit.

bump for carol

carol
What is the one called that has all the breathing exercises in it?

The breathing DVDs are called Abdonda breathing. It is on the SS website. I don't know if the shapely secrets is more difficult then bodyflex. Holding the postions longer does seem to be more tiring which is the basic difference between bodyflex and shapely secrets.

You wouldn't think those little exercises would make you tired. I have to rest a few min when I am done.

I finished Week 2. No change. I don't know if this is because I'm pms'ing and eating everything that isn't nailed down? LOL

I've started doing the Body Flex workout every day, and picking and choosing which SS exercises to do with it. I do like BF!

Amanda

well, i placed my ss order today with rush shipping.. thought i could wait until after christmas but then after all i ate at christmas parties this weekend i thought there is noooooo way i can wait to order!!!!!

can't wait to try it and let you all know how great its working.. (well, fingers crossed!!!)

Well I watched to commerical tonight and found this web site. After reading some of your responses I think I will stay with pilates for a few more weeks, but 7 minutes does sound Great. Thanks for you help.:crossed:

Hmmm... am new to this website... got here by way of Greer Childer's infomercial for Shapely Secrets... I was reading the threads on this particular forum and as I clicked to go to the next page, most of the pages have disappeared!

It went from about 16 pages, I think, to 6 pages... wow...

i just purchased ss and i hope that it works

I saw that original tape, and thought it was incredibly silly. I'm kinda embarassed to say that I bought it. I WAS going to return it, but my family thought it was so funny, I decided to keep it as a "funny." I apologize if this is offensive. My guess is that she encouraged folks to eat a little less and do a little isometric-type type work in the video. It's gimmicky. Losing weight can be hard work, so folks can get crazed. Reducing portion size, getting in some more exercise (even if it is just a little more) and doing this consistently is what I feel certain does the trick. It might take a little time...but doing it and doing it for the long term is what counts. It's not always easy to have patience and that is what folks like Greer count on. IMHO, she doesn't seem to offer a very workable solution. There are so many good programs on this site to review. Also, you can post under excersize threads, mention your needs and get input from folks on what works and doesn't work.

Well, I completely fell off the wagon over the holidays. I didn't see fabulous results from SS, but I did feel like I was toning up.

Here's an embarrassing thing--I think I hurt my left elbow/tricep doing the tricep exercise! It's still bothering me. ugh.

Amanda

I just started SS this week but am confident I will have good results.
I heard about this from a friend. She does not need to lose weight
but was wanting to try it anyway to see if it helps tone. She's done
it a few times a week for about 6 weeks. She didn't really think much
about it until she went to her hair stylist last week. Her stylist started
freaking out, asking what she's been doing because her shoulders and
back were really toned, showing her muscles. She showed me her
biceps and the change was unbelievable. She said she's really psyched
about staying with it now......and I'm psyched to get on board as well.
Again, I just started this week but I'm looking forward to my 2-week
measurements.

I can see why this works. While doing this my muscales kind of feel like
they do when I've done several reps of weight lifting. The difference is,
with this you're doing each one (and holding it) for 25 seconds. In weight
lifting it's up and down with more resting. There are 4 bicep exercies, 4
tricep exercises, 4 lower body exercises (all 25 seconds each) and a 50
second face exercise.

I'm pretty excited about this!

Hi txaggie91, I am really interested to see how you go with this. I am looking at buying it myself when my pay goes through on the 20th!!! Can you keep posting your results as you do your measurements. It will help me either get really motivated or put me off buying it. Thanks and good luck and stay excited!!

I haven't tried Shapely Secrets yet, but I will be ordering it. I've tried her other products and I liked them. I can not at this time do much when it comes to exercise, I have knee problems as well as back issues, so anything that will help me get into shape is well worth the try. This sounds good for people who are in the same shape as I am or who just want to get it done.

I ordered SS about a year ago on a whim. I felt like an idiot after watching the DVD. I don't know what I expected the exercise routine to be, but it wasn't that! LOL After reading this thread, I think I'll dust off the DVD and try again. As someone else said, what the heck...it's only 7 minutes!

I'm with you apples78. I got it this summer and read thru the booklet and watched the dvd. I thought there was NO way this was going to help me lose weight, so back in the box it went. After reading 15 pages of testimonials, I have to go dig around the basement for that box. It may be worth it's weight in gold if it works. Thanks everyone for sharing your results. I hope to be one of you soon.
Sandy

Gosh!!!
 

I saw the commercial 2 nights ago and decided to order the SS. I hope it works so I can finally trim down... :carrot: I never expected to gain so much weight during my pre-pregnancy and pregnancy.. My pre-pregnancy was due to that damn Depo Shot and of course the pregnancy was added a good 50 pounds to my 160 frame... so I hoping this works....

Good luck to everyone just starting out. I honestly think it works. I have lost weight and inches since starting SS and adopted better eating habits.

I am so very happy you posted that you have sacriodosis.. My husband also has sarciodosis and is very tired all the time. Many times when he is working out, he will spit out blood afterward, so I think he needs something a bit less intense... Has working out with your disease always been an issue for you.

I don't check this thread often enought....sorry. I have had sarcoidosis for 30 yr. but ignored it for 25. Now I'm on predinsone for life. My breathing bothered me in the first 5 yr. but the problem now is high blood calcium which ruins the kidneys. Really exericise has never bothered me much but my DH says I'm not very active. Mostly doctors determine how you are doing by chest xray, blood tests, and breathing tests.

Thanks for responding... for my husband he just found out about 3 years ago.. He had knew for sometime about a spot on his lung but never got it checked out till about 3 years ago. His breathing bothered him a lot as well in the very beginning and he does go for regular check up via chest xray and the test you take, the breathing has gotten better and the spitting up blodd and flem has just started since he become a bit over weight and the doctor advises him to work out and lose some weight as well as saying that its good for the lungs for him to work out.. He is not on predinsone and Im hoping he doesn't have to get on it because I heard it makes you gain a large amount of weight. Thanks for your response if you ever have any questions for me let me know...

Yes, I've had a terrible time with weight gain every time they put me back on prednisone. I lost a lot of weight before I became very sick 2 yr. ago and looked so good for the first time in about 20 yr. I have 10 kids so gained weight also with pregnancies. I have lost about 20 lb in the last year which puts me at aobut 169 but I dread having the blood tests say the calcium is up and the prednisone dose must go up, too.

:smug: I'm on my second day of the SS. I wasn't too sure about it, but I had to after reading all the responses here. I didn't feel too sore today, until I went to do the exercises and then I felt it. I hope it work, I'm working towards just toning up and being healthy, if I lose weight that's just an added bonus. I'll try to keep with it to let people know of my results.

I have been using SS for quite some time now. Along with a balanced diet and walking/aerobic videos and some resistance training. I love the SS training. It is quick and I really do see the difference in how my body is toning since using it.

Rennie, Do you use the Abdonda breathing with SS?

shapely secrets/body flex
 

I have also used body flex with good results.I used it a couple of years ago and went from a 26 to a 20 in a couple of months.I had back and breast surgery in 2006 and again I used body flex and went from a 24 to a 18 and I am now waiting to use it again.Just had a spinal fusion that seems to have fixed my problems.I was wondering about the shapely secrets but I can see from some of the posts it will be a long while before I can even think about doing those exercises.I am not supposed to twist or bend for months and at least I can do body flex to some degree.I am losing weight slowly and steadily.Not being able to move much before surgery,I put the weight back on :(.does anyone know of more exercises like body flex or shapely secrets that allows people like us who have to baby our bodies for a while but doesn't want to gain more weight?

Somewhere in these pages there is a post about isometric exercises and a place on the internet that you can read about them.

looking at SS
 

I saw the info-mercial for SS while at the hospital right after my c-section on the 20th. This is my 13th baby (a beautiful 10lb baby girl, Gabrielle Mercy). I decided to research SS a little before buying. I need a program that can be done while nursing, and this looked like I could do that. I suppose that I will have to wait a few weeks to start, since I'm not supposed to even drive or vacuum yet. So I will probably hold off getting it a couple more weeks (I would be too tempted to start right away!). Although, with the shipping issues some of you have had, it may not matter...

Anyway, I was really encouraged by all of these posts. It seems to be working for most of you, and, hey, even I may be able to do 7 min. a day! I will keep watching this forum to see your progress - please keep posting!

Oh, the start/present/goal for weights are a little fudged - 248 was right before I had the baby. I've "lost" 24 pounds in 11 days, but I only gained 19 to begin with ;)

carolr
When I got the ss I was wanting the one for breathing. That isn't what I got. It is a few exercises you do and have them finished in 7 min. If you do it several times a day, you will see results. I do the routine 3 times a day. I haven't found any weight loss with it, but then I haven't found any of the exercising I do to show weight loss. I am losing the same amount as I was before exercise. What I am finding is my body toning right along with the weight loss. Might be why I have no lose skin after 44lbs loss? Which is the one I want for the breathing exercises? I thought it might really help the lungs. I was so lucky I gained 8lbs with my daughter and 11 with my son. Weighed the same when I came home from the hospital as I did before I got preggie.

The Abdonda breathing DVDs are the ones for the breathing added to the SS exercises. They are cheaper and on Greer's website.

carol
Thanks going to have to get them. Have to say, I remember when a 1 mile walking/aerobic video just about did me in. Now I do a 2 mile in the morning and at least 2 mile at night and about 40 min of some kind of resistance training 3 times a week. This exercising might not help me lose weight but it is doing great things for toning my body and getting my lungs working better.

faerie
I think she forgot. Have lots of plastic surgery and wear lots of makeup lol. I happen to like her workout. I think it is really helping to tone. I haven't seen any weight loss but I sure do see a difference in how my arm muscles look.

Hi, I am doing the SS at present, I am about 9 days into it. I haven't lost any weight at all, but I have lost centimeters. I did find though that I had a bad day eating and when I measured myself in the morning the next day I had put everything back on. So I think it is a good program and does not have any twisting or real straining to go with it. I do feel the exercises are making a difference with my toning though. My butt I am sure is looking better (still needs a **** of a lot of work though). I am going to keep going though.

Thanx for the help!

More Abs
 

Thanx for the info faeriegrove, I just thought that there would be somethings tailored more to the abs, like a movement just for the abs. But thanx for the the info...

Anymore updates from u ladies that have been on the program.

right!

her face looks like plastic and has no expression, like she is wearing a mask. Can she even form her mouth into a smile? Doesn't look like it. She has the same expression in her videos. plastic . creepy, I think.

don't need to buy it! I posted the essence of the whole SS booklet of info and the workout.....