[aphil]

siamese-I just noticed that you are from Kokomo Indiana...I grew up in the Marion/Jonesboro/Gas City area...and now I live a little more north-near Fort Wayne, but my family is still in that area...wow, I am over in Kokomo a few times a year at least...and my step-uncle works over there at the Chrysler plant...small world!
Aphil

[Idealperson]

Hello Everyone and Welcome to all the new names! I left for New Mexico on Friday night and got back to Wisconsin on Monday afternoon, traveling is sure hard on dieting. But I went to my WW meeting and weighed in .... I stayed exactly the same! I even leaned forward, and then backwards while on the scale, but it wouldn't budge! I have tried so hard this week and worked out everyday...oh well, we pick ourselves up and move on. The weather in New Mexico was great and it is cold and rainy here, at least we aren't having tornadoes (yet). Next week (Tues. 5/13) I am off to Utah to work on the Elizabeth Small case-I'm so glad she was reunited with her family, most aren't as fortunate. Be good to yourselves, so you can be good to those you love.

[GeorgiaLady]

Hello Everyone!!

It's been about 5 weeks since I've written...I can't believe that!!! Talk about a busy and somewhat stressfull month!!! After DH and I got back from our cruise, I spent the next few weeks struggling to get back on the diet track and work out. I did manage to get back to my good habits and begin losing weight again. I have journaled my calories every day even while on the trip and this has been the key for me.

We've got so much going on right now as I'm sure everyone else does. Believe it or not we've decided to put in a pool and while I am so happy about it, I'm also stressing a lot and that leads to nervous eating in my case. I have to fight against that!!!

So anyway, I weighed 168 when we got back home from the trip and now am down to 159!!! I am very happy about that....getting under 160 was a big goal for me.

I saw the doctor about a week ago and he took me off of BP medication!! He was very pleased about my continued weight loss and will take blood the next time I see him to check Cholesterol, etc.

3FC has been such a big factor in my success....I really appreciate all the support and encouragement I've received from everyone in this forum!

[silence]

Hello girls.
Just stopping by to say hi.
I'm still alive.. and not dieting. Blah
I'm so bad. I really want to lose this weight but I just can't seem to get myself motivated. You girls are so impressive with yer willpower and losses!! I feel like I don't fit in here at the moment.

My weight is fluctuating up and down the same 2 pounds over and over.

I did order a new Pilates dvd though! So, hopefully when it gets here in a few days I can get to work!!

Oh, how I want to see the 160s again! And the 150s.. and 140s! LOL


Christine

[aphil]

GeorgiaLady-that is wonderful! I bet you are so glad to be off of medication-AND to have hit the 150's! Congrats on the pool as well...now you can be in the 150's this summer, AND have a good tan!
Class went very well yesterday...we did some more veilwork-we had already learned a few baisc moves with them, like twirling them around your head and body...last night she showed us how to wrap one around us-you sort of tuck one part into your bra strap and make a cute puffy thingie, and then strategically wrap it around you in a certain way, and tuck the other end in your hipscarf. Then we learned how to "take it off" while doing a dance with it. The big show my teacher's troupe is going to be in is in two weeks-Saturday the 24th. It is a huge deal-there is a big star of a dancer going to be there performing and doing a class, and then during the 2 hour show, there are going to be dancers and troupes from all over Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois...pretty much the midwest. They are havig a bazaar to sell things as well-so I must bring $$$$!!! The show is a couple of hours away, and will be ending late, so a lot of girls are staying in hotels up there-and I am invited to go out with the troupe for a late bite and some fun afterwards. Yay!!!
I so can't wait to get pictures up here of the costumes here in the next week or two...I have been working on them SO hard!
On the topic of exercise-I have been hitting the weights pretty intensely, and it is about time for me to go up in my weights again...I do a pretty intense circuit with free weights and a weight bench for my upper body...rather than use my husband's gym...I just have always preferred the free weights for my upper body...I do like to use machines for my lower body though...leg press, calve machine, etc. so I actually alternate a lot with my lower body-machines during one workout, standing "body weight type resistance" exercises during the next lower body workout, and so on. I tend to keep training to failure a lot more when I keep changing the routine slightly each time. Nola and Jacklyn-what do you prefer and what upper body exercises have you been doing/what weight do you lift for your exercises, etc.? It is great to have a few "weight trainers" here as well to talk to...
Holly-I hope you are having a fabulous time on your trip, and Nancy I hope you are having a good time seeing your grandbaby...please pop in if you have the time! We will hear all about both trips when you get back!
Aphil

[willbe]

Silence: I hear ya girl and you and I are in the same boat. I have lost my motivation and can't seem to get it back. I haven't gained anything...yet. I so want to lose more, but I also just want to eat whatever I want. I really feel like not even posting here since I can't claim I'm even trying to lose weight. I am still doing my exercise though. How does a person get their motivation back?

I'm glad for all of you who are doing so well. Keep it up and maybe I'll catch it yet.

[aphil]

I find that having a reason to be motivated helps keep you in line...I have my brother's wedding this summer, my 10 year class reunion this August, my having to bare my tummy in my dance classes...and things of this nature.
When nothing is going on and you don't have something special to look good for...I find what helps is to get out a piece of paper and divide it into two sides-on one side write down all of the reasons yuo want to stay fat-like being able to be lazy, eating whatever you want, etc. and on the other side write down all of the reasons you want to be fit-no matter how frivolous. Here would be a sample of mine:
FAT-
1.) To eat whatever I wanted whenvever I wanted
2.) To lay around on the couch and be lazy
3.) To not have to worry about it so much
FIT-
1.) To have men flirt with me in public places once again
2.) To wear a bathing suit and not feel totally embarrassed
3.) To look nice in lingerie
4.) To look great in my dance costumes
5.) To be self confident running into "exes."
6.) To have a firm flat tummy
7.) To feel better about myself
8.) To wear whatever I like, and not worry about if I am too fat to wear it...
It can go on and on...what I am saying is, there are a lot more pros to being fit than the few small ones that are the only payoff from staying fat.
Remember the old phrase "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels?" Trust me, it is true!
It is all about instant gratification. We all want what we want now...we have to be patient when getting fit, and it is hard. When we splurge and eat chocolate or pizza, we get the instant gratification of doing that-but then we feel worse after doing it than we did before!
Aphil

[jacklyn]

Hey aphil! I am at work right now, but I'll try to remember to look at my workout schedule (I dont know what some of the exercises are correctly called...rather than "the one where you bend over?" But I'll get a list of what we do and the weights that I lift...just remember, I just started here. So I'm not exactly using the heavy weights yet! I'll probably look like a weakling considering I have NO upper body strength. But we gotta start somewhere right?

[Idealperson]

Happy mid-week everyone! Last night I made a low fat cheesecake and I ate two piece, and another one for lunch today...ugh! Even though it is low fat, it is still 5 points a piece and I really should have been eating something healthier, now my sweet tooth is fired up...what have I started!!!??? Maybe I am better at dieting while I travel, then I don't have a whole refrigerator of food at my disposal.

Aphil-your fit/fat lists were so on target...after losing 42 pounds I can go to my closet and wear anything there, before half the things were too tight. And I know a size 12 isn't huge (even though I want to be a 10) compared to my size 18s that were getting tight. I still need inspiration to stay on target and that's what we are here for each other to do..keep up the good work!

[Kanola]

Hey everyone!! Just stopped by to see how ya'll are doing!!!

Jacklyn - I have a weak upper body too!! My shoulders just plain suck.

Here is a brief look at my weights workout….

Upper body

Chest
Dumbell Press – 10 lbs and hit my ‘10’s’ with 12.5 lbs
Dumbell Flyes – 12.5 lbs to hit a ‘10’

Back
Supported Row (machine) – 45 lbs and hit my ‘10’s’ with 50 lbs
Lat Pull Down (machine) – hit ‘10’s’ with 45 lbs

Bi’s
Bicep Curls – 10 lbs and hit my ‘10’s’ with 12.5 lbs
Hammer Curls – hit my ‘10’s’ with 12.5

Tri’s
Tricep Pull Downs (machine) – 30 lbs and hit my ‘10’s’ with 35 lbs
Skullcrushes – hit ‘10’s’ with 15 lbs (hubby spots these and keeps my elbows in place - - some mornings I really hate him for making me work so hard)

Shoulders
Front Raises – 5 lbs for whole workout!!
Lateral Raises – 5 lbs for whole workout!!
I have the weakest shoulders, so I am going to take this slow and be nice to them, I am going to wait another 2 weeks before I try any heavier weights for these.


Lower body

Quads
Leg Press (machine) – 50 lbs and hit ‘10’s’ with 57.5 lbs
Squats – hit ‘10’s’ with 30 lbs (perfect form, hubby spots me on these ones)

Hamstrings
Lying Leg Curls (machine) – 30 lbs for whole workout
Lunges – 12.5 dumbells in hands to hit ‘10’s’ (hubby also spots me on these ones, so my knee gets about an inch from the ground – I am crying by the time I am done this set)

Calves
Seated Calf Raises (machine) – 20 kilos (44 lbs) and hit 10’s on 25 kilos (55 lbs)
Leg Press/ Calf Raises (machine) – 50 lbs to hit 10’s, a bit different than the leg press where I sit up, and put my feet at the bottom of the platform and ‘lift’ myself up.

Abs
Crunches on a fit ball
Leg lifts on Roman Chair (where your feet are off the ground and you lift you legs???? Not sure how to describe it)


Cardio - I follow the BFL 20 min solution.... think 20 mins is not long enough?? I get my heart rate up to the top of the range and flat out run/sprint for my '10's on the treadmill. After the cool down my legs feel like rubber. I think that is much better than the 45 mins I used to do and barely break a sweat!!!! On cardio days I also attach my pedometer to my skirt and get in my walking. I use a WW one that has my weight entered in it and it calculates a 'healthy' or 'minimum' range, about 6800 steps. I have to pass this mark on cardio days too. By the end of the challenge, I want to have this up to 10,000 steps on cardio days. I love walking and it gets me out of the office at lunch away from the stress!!!

I am just finishing Week 2..... so there are 10 more to go!!! YIKES!!!



Also..... I stopped at a book store during my walk yesterday and had a look at the Body for Life Success Journal. It is $45 over here (Aussie dollars) and I am not considering buying it. I would rather take along my single sheet to the gym, but each day it has 2 very important questions....

Name 3 things you did well today.

Name one thing you will do better tomorrow.

I could easily come up with more than 3 things I did well... and I used a 'self promise' for the thing to do better tomorrow. I am going to add this into my routine when I am planning workouts and meals while I watch tv at 9 pm. Instead of 'beating ourselves up over something we did wrong... how about looking for the positives!!!!

I love the 'mental' challenge with Bill ..... he has me thinking every day.

I better get back to work... only 10 more working days until I am done here!!! And start the new job!! WOOOHOOO.

Nola.
ps. Where is that biker chick Holly??? Hope all is well on the Road Trip!!!

[Kina]

Hi everyone! I have a question...if any of you might like to answer. I would like to incorporate strength training into my exercise; however, I don't know what it means when it says do "3 reps" . What does it mean when it says to do reps of any amount?

Also another question in regards to food...Burger King. Has that Sour Dough Bread burger is that better than the regular burger buns?

So okay it is late and I better head for my stepper. Talk to you all later.

Hugs & Smiles, Kina

[VermontMom]

Hello everyone!!

We rolled back into town Monday afternoon, after almost 3000 miles!!

Had a GREAT time, no regrets!

Am working on a "slide show" of some of the pics we took; when it's done will give you the link.

Besides having a super time, making new friends, encountering friendly strangers along the way, improving my riding skills, I stayed at the same departing weight!! Riding up to 475 miles a day must burn calories without me even knowing it

I see some new names here; welcome! Will talk more once I get caught up on the home stuff.

had a wonderful time, but nice to be back home, too

Your friend,
Holly

[tryin'hard]

Welcome home, Holly! I'm glad we were one of your first places where you reported in! Go unpack and come back and tell us all about it!

[aphil]

Hello everyone!
Kina-Sourdough is really not any healtheir than regular white bread. I do think that the healthiest sandwiches thought at BK are their new veggie burger, and their Chicken Whopper or chicken Whopper JR. both which are grilled and not breaded/fried. Nutrition infor is available on their website.
As far as weight training-their are two common terms that beginners can get confused-reps and sets. Reps means repetitions. Say you are doing something basic like crunches/sit ups for your abs-and it says 2 sets of 12 reps. This means that you do 12 repetitions-or 12 crunches, then you take a short break for a few seconds, and do another SET of 12 repetitions. Repetitions is actually how many times you do the exercise-and a set is how many times you do that many reps of exercises.
If you really want a basic video on weight training-I recommend Getting in Shape with Weights for Dummies. I actually sent a copy of this to Nancy/Snowey a few months ago...It explains what sets and reps are, shows proper form for each exercise, and explains exactly what muscle each exercise is doing-which a lot of beginners do not know-especially in upper body exercises, when there are so many smaller muscles-learning what works your back, shoulders, or parts of your arms can be confusing at first, especially when you are using your arms for all of them! I consider this video a great "101" course in weight training, and all you need is either a kitchen chair or weight bench, and a set of hand weights.
Nola-my shoulders are weakest as well! It takes me forever to go up in weight on my shoulders-I am at 5 pounds for them as well STILL, but I started out at 3-so I have made SOME progress, and they do have a lot more shape to them now. My weight that I lift is actually pretty comparable to what you are doing now...I was VERY weak when I started back out after Raiden was born and done nursing...so going from 2-3 pound weights for everything to 5-15 for most of my upper body isn't too awful bad... Skullcrushers are actually one of my favorite exercises...I do them in two different ways...I do those as well as the regular triceps extensions...I just can't get into doing them on the machine, so this accomplishes the same thing with the free weights. I have noticed a big difference in my triceps since I have started them as well. I know what you are talking about with the Roman chair exercise as well...
As far as journals...I use a regular mini sized notebook, and I know Karen (MrsJim) uses the Old Navy blank notebooks-sortof like journals. I like the BFL and other ones as well...but I am cheap.
Holly-welcome back! Can't wait to hear about your trip!
Everyone, have a great Thursday morning-I am off to have some breakfast and get my workout in...it is cardio day!
Aphil
ps-if anyone wants to see the sort of bellydancing I do...there is a website called www.saharasilk.com you should check out. My teacher teaches tribal fusion bellydancing, which is what this group of dancers does as well...click on "clips" and there are two in particular you should watch-a clip called "drum solo" and the clip the second one down from the top...(I can't remember the exact name of the clip.) Maybe one day my instructor and her group will get their own website up and get some clips on there...

[Idealperson]

Hello all, I am having a terrible day at work (I think I've seen every juvenile delinquent in a 4-state area) and all I can think about is that %#@* cheesecake in my fridge. I thought making something low-fat would be a good thing for my family-but I am the only one eating it! I know I can't weigh in next Monday (due to work travel) so I have to go two weeks before a weigh in-that is like giving me a license to eat!!! Help....