Welcome to Everyday Exercisers -- a weekly thread that focuses on healthy weightloss and overall fitness through regular exercise. Our goals are to stay active, stay hydrated, and make healthy eating choices. We share our exercise plans for the week, and check in each day to share our progress...and our set-backs. Here you'll find a supportive and encouraging environment in which to pursue your fitness goals, and a community of people who share your commitment to fitness and provide motivation and inspiration to each other. Welcome!
Holy mackerel! Go away for a couple days and it's a totally new forum! But way cool! Look at these colors!
Welcome Racewalker! It's great to have someone new around! I don't know much about walking (except what I do on a daily basis ), so I can't be much help there..... I'd just say start slow, and build yourself up real slowly, using your body as your guide. Good luck, and keep on posting!
Stamper ~ Way to go on the yoga, and the swimming and aerobics! That's great! I'm not sure what type of yoga that the instructor teaches... one more thing to find out, I guess. I'm just really happy to be getting it done!
Nettie ~ Congrats on the two pound loss! Remember those two sticks of butter? Gone forever! And that's wonderful!
And for me? Weighin on Thursday was not quite as wonderful as I hoped. I maintained my weight, but have lost another 3.75 inches! And I have lost another 3.5% bodyfat, so I'm thrilled about that! The more I think about it, the more I realize that 130 pounds as a goal is probably not really realistic for me. I'm sitting at 156.5, and I'm almost happy with it.... So I decided to modify my goal to 145, and work from there! The exciting part about that is I'm only 11.5 away from goal now!
My weekend was not great, not terrible, and that's all I have to say about that! The great thing is that it's raining! And it rained all night! We so needed it, as there was a provincial fireban, and we had some really wicked fires going on lately. Anyway, enough about me...... what's up with all of you?
PS ~ Did I mention that I love these colors!?!?!?!?
Hi Marvin! : Thanks for starting the new thread! And thank you for the card! That was SO cute! Aww -- I'm all veklempt! Congratulations on the inch loss! That's fabulous! AND the bodyfat! You go girl!
And I think you're right to modify your goal -- I may modify my own once I've gotten a little closer. It's hard to see what you'll actually look like or how you'll feel at your "ideal" goal, and it often turns out that your idea of what would be perfect for you may not be quite right!
Nettie: I hope you like using the bike! Good luck on your first ride! It's tough to get started the first time, but great exercise! I think it's a great way to step up your cardio at this point, and easy to make harder or easier on yourself depending on your energy level + growing fitness.
Congrats on sticking to plan last week! Here's to another healthy week!
Stamper:Congratulations on your loss! You definitely "deserve" it, especially with the great Saturday (and Friday) you had -- both yoga AND swimming + water aerobics! You're doing great keeping to your regular exercise -- and even adding some extra into the mix! Kudos!
Don't feel too bad about the pizza -- that's my major weakness too! Why is it SO hard to resist overeating pizza?! I don't really have a problem with anything but PIZZA! That stuff is evil! (but soooo good )
Racewalker: Welcome to the thread! And welcome back to 3FC! About your walking question -- in my non-expert opinion, I would try upping the intensity of the walks you already do, then increasing the length, and then trying to do the "new" walks more frequently. It seems to me that that would be the best way to go about working your way up to a much higher intensity + frequency -- increase your stamina first, and then go for endurance. Any thoughts from anyone else?
Nettie: I didn't catch it in your last post -- you had a loss too! This is a big Losers' Party! Congratulations! And you're right -- slow and steady wins the race!
My update:
Had a fun Friday, but of course didn't get an evening workout in (and didn't expect to). Went on a little excursion to New Haven w/DH + a friend, and remarkably didn't eat that badly. Sunday was a good day for eating, but DH and I didn't get to the gym like I wanted. Too many errands and such a tiny weekend to get them done in! Gah!
This morning: went to the gym! For some reason it seemed much harder -- I think the bike I was using hadn't been "beaten down" as much as some of them, so the resistance was pretty strong. Did 30 minutes of interval training, and really pushed myself on the intervals. I was dripping by the time I was done!
This week I'm going to try to get in gym workouts in the AM: 30 minutes 4x, and sculpting workouts in the evening - 2x lower body and 1x upper body. NOT doing the Tortoise this week! I now have 3 sets of upper/lower body pairs, so I'm not sure which one I'll use. I ordered Firm's "Standing Legs", which uses the tall box + focuses on lunges/squats as an alternative to "Lower Body Sculpting" (aka "Floor Legs"), and will try to work it into my rotation soon. I've heard it's KILLER though, so I'm a little afraid!
I'll try to check back in later + catch up with any questions/comments from the last thread that I didn't get to respond to yet, since I'm pretty sure I didn't get everything, even in these 2 long posts!
And also, I wanted to thank everyone for their support -- having everyone boost me up when I was feeling bad about missing evening workouts was really great, and really appreciated.
Wow! These options really are way kewl! Hey...wanna see how I look after using too much cough syrup? Bwahahahahaha!
Thanks for the welcome, everyone. :?)
Copperblu , thanks for the advice on prioritizing my increase in distance/time/intensity. It makes good sense. I hope that the rest of you will still feel free to share opinions, though, too. I haven't decided and want to hear what people have to say.
Wow...weight lost, inches lost, working up a good, hard sweat...sounds like everyone is on the right track! And really don't worry too much about the pizza. One set back won't hurt you any more than one salad will bail us out, yano?
Hi everyone! Now that I'm posting my message I see what everyone is talking about. I don't have anytime to play around with these options tonight though.
Racewalker: I can't remember if I said welcome on the last thread but if not, It's nice to have another participant. I also don't know much about Racewalking except I've seen people do it and there seems to be a different "gait" than regular walking. One thought - I used to run in the late 70's when it was so popular and remember reading that that when you get out of breath you can walk and then run again. You just alternate running/walking until you gradually build up the amount of time you can run nonstop. Maybe the same technique would work with racewalking.
Nettie- I have 2 Yoga tapes. They are not the same as what my instructor teaches but the poses are similar. They are pretty good. Living Arts puts them out and they have a whole series. I have a Beginners tape and a Yoga for Abs tape (and boy does it work the abs!). I bet you will like your bike a lot. A health club I used to go to had one and it was like having your own personal air conditioner while you work out!
Copperblu: Happy Birthday! Thanks for the supportive note about the pizza. At least it isn't totally empty calories. However, I had awful indigestion all that night so maybe I learned my lesson. Sounds like you had a fun weekend and like you have a good plan for your workouts this week.
Marvin: Congratulations on your inches lost! I think that is often more important than the weight. Plus muscle weighs more than fat. 145 is what I want to get to also
My update: Sunday I cleaned my house - the kind of cleaning where you wash the walls and doors and baseboards and all that stuff (which I hardly ever do). With all that bending and kneeling and scrubbing I felt like I had a workout when I was done. It was only about 70 degrees yesterday but my daughter and I went swimming in the pool anyway. I also was in 30 minutes today. Tomorrow & Wednesday I want to get up early and do yoga and some exercise with weights.
The bike was an excellent workout. The handle bars actually move with the pedals, so you get an upper body workout, too. Not as intense as the legs, but some. I was only able to do it for 20 minutes. I did some intervals and I can feel it today. The computer on the bike read I burned 550 calories. I liked that. I am going to do my RS tape w/ weights and my ab tape tonight.
I am going to a gym today to check it out. I want to get in some weight training to help turn my muscles into fat burning machines! I hate high pressure places though and they are having a special, if you sign up today it is only $1 to join where it is usually $149 so I know they are going to be hounding me. That's ok. Once I tell them I have a heart condition and have to get a clearance from my cardiologist, they will probably back way off. I don't know if I am ready to commit myself to going to a gym or paying a gym membership. I'll have to think on that one.
Marvin: That is great about the inches and the body fat. And you were probably right to modify your goal. It is hard to tell what you will look like when you get to a certain weight and with all the muscles building, you may get to a great size without ever reaching a certain number on the scale.
Copperblu: Your schedule sounds full this week. I don't blame you for dropping the Tortoise tapes for now. Setting goals you almost know you can't meet only sets you up for disapointment. You are doing so well with the rest of your plan, you don't need to get discouraged.
Stamper: Thanks for the yoga tips. I will check them out. I hate to buy a tape a "real" person has not used before. There are sites that review fitness tapes, but they can't possible have everyone one there. Yes, I do like the fan, but I was still sweating so much, it wasn't very cool. I'm glad it is at home and not in a gym though.
Well, I guess I better get to work. That is what they pay me for. Hope everyone has a successful day!
Stamper: Wow! Cleaning like that definitely IS a workout! I'm impressed!
It sounds like you had a great day yesterday, and a wonderful start to today! So glad to hear you're having a good week!
And thanks for the birthday wishes! I've been having a great birthday thus far!
I've also heard of the run/walk thing -- it's kind of like interval training, and I've heard it referred to as "Fartlek" training after this Swedish fellow. Supposedly working your way up to hard runs like that can really boost your endurance and stamina. I've often thought of trying that if I ever get rid of my anti-running bias. I've often said that the only reason I'd ever run is if someone were chasing me (and trying to spill my cocktail!)!
Nettie: Your bike has moving handles too?! You must have been working HARD! I tip my hat to you!
And thanks for the note of support about the Tortoise tape -- I think you're absolutely right. I don't want to set myself up for disappointment (and skipped workouts when I'm too sore the rest of the week!). I will wait until I am really ready to try it again.
I must commend you on your interest in weight-training -- ultimately I think nothing will prove as beneficial to your shape + metabolism as building muscle.
Personally, I like belonging to a gym, despite my expectations. I've never been much of a gym person, and was working out at home, but DH wanted to join, so I agreed -- and turns out I like it! We also joined during a special, but weren't pressured hard at all -- however, they may have sensed our inherent b*tchiness and decided to back off.
I find I really like the structure that the gym provides, and I enjoy having somewhere to go workout early in the morning when it's too early to wake my downstairs neighbors with my stomping! I also really like the variety that the gym offers -- for instance, all the different cardio machines that otherwise I wouldn't have access to. Some of my perceived benefits of joining are specific to me, however, because my subway commute makes getting to/from gym and work no hassle, and I'm restricted in my home workouts due to my small apartment + downstairs neighbors.
Also, don't forget that you can get all of the benefits of weight training at home with free weights + the right exercises -- if you don't want to, you don't have to use the machines at the gym to get good results.
my update:
Went home to my butter-laden birthday dinner last night -- which was delicious, but made me feel so stuffed I could barely move!
Roused myself from my stupor this morning to go to the gym, though a little late: got in 25 minutes on the bike, doing intervals. For some reason it seemed much harder today -- I blame the butter!
2 gym workouts down, 2 to go!
Now I have to try to keep my energy up for a weight-workout tonight! I'd better! I'm getting soooo tired of this plateau!
Good morning! I have wonderful news! I finally dragged my sorry butt out of bed in time to go swimming! I was slow, and I sure felt my muscles working, but I feel great! Yay for me!
Anyway, you guys sure sound like you're going strong! It must be a pretty good week for all of us, building up the momentum.... We should all be very proud of ourselves!
You're welcome, Copperblu! As soon as I saw those chicks, I knew I had found the right card! Sounds like you have a good plan for this week, and you are so brave for trying those "killer" tapes! Good luck with them!
BTW, we're cross-posting again! Sounds like you had a yummy birthday! But fartleks? Gotta go before I make some wisecrack about bodily functions!
Racewalker .... about the cough syrup! I'm the same way! And ITA with Copperblu about the building up. It sounds like a safe way to increase your intensity back up! Way to Go!
Stamper! Do you wanna come clean my house too? Housecleaning is my least favorite workout, but it sure can be a great one! And not only do you end up with a lovely house, you also feel good about the sweating! Good job!
Good luck at the gym, Nettie! I know that the muscles that I've built at Curves have been essential in my success. I love having my gym, and maybe it is what will work for you.... If not, then at least you gave it a shot, and you can feel good about that. It's true what they say, you have to find the type of exercise routine that works for you!
You guys are all right! I feel a lot better now that I modified my goal weight. There's no way I could maintain a 130! I know that I am built, shall we say, curvily, and I'm not gonna be supermodel skinny, nor do I want to be.... I like my {ahem} boobs, and I like being soft.... I just don't wanna be flabby!!!!
Hi everyone - sounds like everyone is having a great week!
I don't have much time for a long reply, but I just wanted to check in. I got up this morning and did 30 minutes of Yoga. I did some of the more vigorous stuff. I gave blood at work today and of course they want you to eat some of the goodies when you are done. I picked a fig bar -it was the best choice but still kind of unplanned for. Also, I got a bit queesy and they gave me real (gasp) cola , not diet to settle my stomach. I was going to do some weights tonight but I think I will skip it. Today it's been a week since I've really got back on the diet and exercize track and I've lost 4 pounds. We are going away for several days for our 20th anniversary vacation. Tomorrow is the last day of school for my daughter and my parents will be watching her. So I probably won't reply again for a while. The places we are staying have exercise facilities and we have some hiking planned, so I should be able to get some exercise - just have to watch that restaraunt eating.
I checked out the gym yesterday and they want me to sign a two year contract at $50 a month. And that didn't even include the tanning and most of the classes. I refuse to lock into anything but marriage and kids for more than a year. I don't like contracts and wouldn't sign one before I used a gym for at least a month. There are some gyms around here that offer monthly contracts, but I am going to see my cardiologist first and make sure I can go. I'm pretty sure he will clear me, but being dead is not the way to find out.
My exercising is still going great. I did my tape last night with the weights and I did my ab tape. My ab tape has three, ten minute segments; beginner, intermediate and advanced. Of course I am still just doing the beginner. They are getting easier though but there is one particular exercise I can't do. You lay on your back with your legs straight up in the air, crossed at the ankles and then lift your but off the ground. I don't know if my abs are weak or my butt is just too huge, but I can't budge. I just modify that exercise and go on to the next one. One positive thing though, when I started all this, my size 18's were hard to button, but I refussed to buy a 20, now my 18's are about to fall off me. I smell a shopping trip. . .
Stamper: I hope you have a wonderful trip! 20 YEARS! Wow, I can't wait to get there with my hubby. The hiking sounds like great exercise and all the exercising you have done recently will probably have you in good shape to enjoy it. Have a great time!
Marvin: I read somewhere yesterday, that swimming one mile is equal to running four miles. (I don't know where I read it, I will have to find the source.) Personally, I think swimming is the best exercise; it keeps your heart rate up, you use every muscle, you stretch your muscles and you have to control your breathing or, well, it just wouldn't be a good thing.
What you said about being soft is so true. It is our curves that make us women. I just don't want my curves hanging over my waist band. Other than that, I would like to keep some of my boobs and my butt, but by the looks of things, that was the first place I lost weight. My mom has no butt either.
Copperblu: You are doing great staying on plan with your exercises. I was telling my husband last night, of all the boards I post on, it seams everyone here has a higher commitment to weight loss and optimum health. Yes, we have days that we don't always do as we had planned, but we have way more where we do everthing plus some. I am very proud of all of us for making such a huge commitment and sticking to it. I have never been thise successful and I know the support and encouragement I get on the boards has a big part in that. Thanks to all of you! Does anyone have a tissue?
Racewalker: Hope all is going well for you and we here from you soon.
Well, there's my novel, back to work. Hope everyone has an OP day!
You guys are amazing! I sometimes think that I might need a tissue too! I recommend 3FC to everyone I talk to, as it's the greatest support board I have ever come across! Bravo!
Stamper ~ Great job doing the yoga first thing! I can't wait until I start learning how.... there's a show on tv every morning that I'd like to have the option of doing, and it's timed right... I just need some instruction!
And congrats on twenty years! Makes my two year anniversary next Tuesday look like very little in the grand scheme, but it's still a biggy for me! Especially since so many of the young couples that got married around the same time as we did, are already divorced.... I don't know why people don't take commitment seriously anymore... but that's another soapbox for me! I hope you have a great trip! We'll be waiting!
Nettie ~ $50 a month for two years! That's outrageous! I'd sure be looking into another gym.... I just hate that when they expect you to try the stupid thing out once, and then commit for the rest of your life! I'm sure they have a lot of people sign up for it though.... makes you wonder when they'll commit to a gym but not to a human being.... Ok, Ok, off the soapbox!
But I digress.... I had a great day yesterday after getting to the pool first thing. I plan on trying for it again tomorrow morning since it made such a difference in my day. I ate perfectly, and I feel real good about it. Today should be good too. Looks like I'm on a roll!
Marvin: Good for you for going swimming!! And in the morning too! You're an animal! Or maybe a water beastie!
Thanks for the words of encouragement about the tapes -- I just previewed Standing Legs last night, and frankly, I'm scared!! It's a 30 minute leg routine, so I think I'm going to start working it into my rotation 10 minutes at a time --- and eventually work my way up to doing the whole tape on one day. It is seriously that frightening!
Stamper: Not...REAL cola!? Eeek! <runs in terror> Certainly I don't think you can beat yourself up for having real cola + a fig bar after donating blood! Your health is much more important than any diet, and in that situation, an extra snack + some sugar are actually good for you. It's great to hear you've donated -- I should go donate again soon. I used to be all fine with it, but I'm a little gunshy now, since I got a little woozy the last time (didn't eat enough beforehand). Time to get back on the horse!
Congratulations on your 20 year anniversary!! That's great! Have tons of fun on your trip! I think it's wonderful that you're planning to be active on your vacation!
Nettie: I'm sorry to hear about your gym experience! The gym I joined has a month-by-month membership plan, so you can't get locked into anything. I wouldn't want to either -- what if you end up not liking it? Then you'd wind up paying for something you didn't even use!!
And you're right, being dead isn't the way to find out! (although I have to admit, that was really funny )
About the ab move -- I have to do that one too, and it can be REALLY hard. I HATE that one, and you're definitely not alone! It uses your lower abs, which are generally the weakest, and the movement is (thankfully) supposed to be really small. It's a killer though, so don't feel bad! I can barely move either!
I'm so glad to hear about your clothes!! You must feel GREAT!! Yay! New clothes!
And your post made me all smooshy . Yeah, this is a good place -- I think that y'all have been a very important part of keeping me on track for so long.
my update:
That said.... I was very bad and went along to a spur of the minute dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant w/some friends of mine instead of going home + working out! Not only that, but I ate a LOT. It was soooo good though, I couldn't help it!
Anyways, for some reason, when I got home I was so exhausted that I fell asleep right in the middle of previewing my new exercise tape, and didn't wake up until DH got home at 11pm! Then I fell right into bed, and didn't get my lunch ready or my clothes laid out for tomorrow -- so of course I didn't make it to the gym this morning!! AND I was late to work! ARGH! What a day!
Hmph! Tonight I'm going to do an upper-body + abs workout, come **** or high water, since they're feeling neglected and flabby.
Tomorrow morning, I think I'm going to try the elliptical machine at the gym, which will hopefully break me out of this rut.
I'm going out w/friends for a belated birthday celebration tomorrow night, so no evening workout -- and I know I won't be able to get up the next day for the gym.
I'm hoping that I can get in a lower-body workout Friday, when I get home from work. And then get my 4th gym workout on Saturday. If I can fit another upper-body workout in sometime before Sunday, I'll have just sneaked in my week's goals under the wire. I think I planned 2 lower + 1 upper, but I actually think my upper needs it more, since I'm doing all this lower-leg cardio and neglecting my upper body this week. So I'm reversing the ratio.
Still doing well on the eating, although I am sure I could do better some days. Rode my bike for 20 minutes last night. 9.2 miles. My wonderful husband took the kids for a walk so I could ride in peace, so I cranked up the AC/DC and got in a great workout. Following the beat to most of the songs had me at about 28 miles per hour. Then I would speed up to 35 MPH during some of the more "intense" music. I can't believe that I can ride over nine miles! I would have never thought I would be able to do that.
You know how everywhere you look there is a disclaimer to "talk to your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program"? How many of us have actually done that? I had to go to my primary care doctor yesterday and I mentioned to her that I had changed my eating habits and was exercising and was having a lot of success at it. Was she interested? Did she care? NOPE! She just said, "Oh" and went on to something else. She is not the first doctor I have had do this. I actually had a cardiologist who, on my first visit, before examining me or getting my medical records from my last cardiologist, reccommended I go on the Atkin's Diet. Let's see, fatty meat diet for someone that has trouble pumping blood through their heart? That was the first and last time I saw him. Sometimes you wonder. I have had only one doctor who was brave enough to give me a low fat diet to go on. But then I got pregnant right after that, so that was just a license to eat. Well, enough about me and my love of the medical proffession.
copperblu: I love Indian food! I haven't had it in years, but that would definately be something I would "fall off the wagon" for. I will try to do that ab move tonight when I do my tape. The ladies on the tape can move their butts way off the floor. I guess if I can just get mine to budge, I will be doing something.
marvin: Having the pool sounds great. We have one in our community, but I have not gotten up the nerve to don a bathing suit yet. You must be getting some super workouts though.
Well back to the old drawing board. Literally, I draw for a living. Roadways.
Good morning! I'm a grand-mommy! My little kitty had her kittens night before last. (We found them yesterday!) Stumpy's a tiny grey long-haired cat with no tail. (dh calls her a manx), and she's now the proud mama of three tiny little cuties, all white with dark grey tabby spots... two of them have tails, and one doesn't.... I'm so happy! We weren't even sure whether she'd be successful because she's so small and young.... Yay!
Okay Copperblu! Time to get your franny moving! I know how hard it is to get moving again, but look at me! I thought I'd never get to the pool ever again, but I went this morning too! You can do it! So, consider your butt officially kicked! You're right! I'm a beastie!
What exactly is Indian food? We don't have that kind of restaurant around here, but we do have a Thai place that I haven't been adventurous enough to try yet.... From what I've heard, Indian food is a bit spicy....? Sounds yummy though!
And you're right, Nettie... I've never asked a doctor before starting a new exercise plan. But, then again, I don't have any conditions or complications with my health ~ just lazy! I can't believe your doctors! Atkins? I could get on my Canadian high horse now, and blame your American health care, but I have to admit that I've seen some pretty bad doctors up here too.... some people just don't care! I'm fortunate that I've found a couple of really good female doctors. They care about me, and they actually have the time to listen.... I thank my lucky stars a lot!
So, like I said, I made it to the pool this am, and I increased my laps by 2, so I'm pretty happy. Im not sure whether I'll go to Curves this afternoon.... it's weighin day for me, so I should. I'll play it by ear! I just wanna go home and see my new babies!
Everyday Exercisers ~ Week of June 4, 2001
Wow! :o
), so I can't be much help there..... I'd just say start slow, and build yourself up real slowly, using your body as your guide. Good luck, and keep on posting! 
Aww -- I'm all veklempt!
Too many errands and such a tiny weekend to get them done in! Gah!
I now have 3 sets of upper/lower body pairs, so I'm not sure which one I'll use. I ordered Firm's "Standing Legs", which uses the tall box + focuses on lunges/squats as an alternative to "Lower Body Sculpting" (aka "Floor Legs"), and will try to work it into my rotation soon. I've heard it's KILLER though, so I'm a little afraid!
Good Morning Everyone!
We should all be very proud of ourselves!
Good luck with them!
And that didn't even include the tanning and most of the classes. I refuse to lock into anything but marriage and kids for more than a year. I don't like contracts and wouldn't sign one before I used a gym for at least a month. There are some gyms around here that offer monthly contracts, but I am going to see my cardiologist first and make sure I can go. I'm pretty sure he will clear me, but being dead is not the way to find out.
Does anyone have a tissue?
Makes my two year anniversary next Tuesday look like very little in the grand scheme, but it's still a biggy for me! Especially since so many of the young couples that got married around the same time as we did, are already divorced.... 
We'll be waiting!
The gym I joined has a month-by-month membership plan, so you can't get locked into anything. I wouldn't want to either -- what if you end up not liking it? Then you'd wind up paying for something you didn't even use!!
