Just back from FB workout. All good except I wore my red top. I have decided that it is bad and has to go. Red is just not my colour. It does not make me look gorgeous. This despite my artist gymn friend saying that she thinks it's OK. Time to move on from this.

Oh, thank you, Shannon! That must be the difference. 'Smaller annoyances.' My life can be full of those and they build up but not into a 'big time stressful situation'. Right, I have the diagnosis. Now, onward to the solution! Straightforward?

Hope you all have a good day! The weather is going to break here today, I think.

Tea- I'm usually very anti "up the calories", but you are TALL. How about adding a 1/3 cup of oatmeal to breakfast? I've ditched starchy carbs except oatmeal and sweet potatoes for the same reason...one leads to more and more and more. That would add about 100 calories per day if you nuke it with water. Just nuke it for 2 minutes in a BIG BOWL. Use the old fashioned kind, it works fine. I find if I eat the carbs first thing in the am, it doesn't affect my loss, maintenance or cravings. If I ate bread or taters in the evening, I'd be prowling the house for food.

Cardio done, trying cross fit after work

Lydia- my son is a big lolcat fan- he was taping absurd slogans above the cat's food bowl for a while.

Mel

Went to the doctor on Tuesday - last day in June - for my annual physical. It didn't sink in for me what my weight was until late that night as I lay in bed, after eating a PBJ sammich and a couple popsicles. 200. two-freakin-hundred pounds. Got up yesterday and ate a little better but not great. Doing better today and even though I still have a head cold (been with me almost two weeks) I'm going to the gym.

200. I haven't weighed that since 4/2/1992 (day before my son was born). Maybe all this excess weight, unhealthy lifestyle, is why I catch every cold around and then hold on to them for weeks. At 5'2 I probably look like a Jolly Rancher, height = width.

One thing that surprised me is that even though diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke run in my family, my doc didn't say ONE word about my excess poundage. Odd. Very odd.

T.

Hey peeps, just a flyby, since I have to go do a yardwork job today.

Shannon, that's a lot for one workout. I'd pare it down to 6 or 8 movements, max, and focus on form and strength in each movement. You could rotate things through, if you get bored easily, like do sit-ups this workout for abs, next one do knee raises instead, something like that. One or two variations on the same movement would be about right, but you don't need to do every possible variation every single workout.

The CF Report:
Just Back Squats today, 5-5-5 Across (3 sets of 5 with the same weight for all 3 sets). Last time we did this, last month, I got 95#. Today, I got 105#, for a new back squat PR (personal record). I'm happy with that. I started out with ten pound increments in my warm-up, which was just tiring me out more than necessary. Next time, I'll make bigger jumps in the warm-up, so I can save my energy for the working sets. Here's what I did today:
warm-up sets of 5 reps at 45, 65, 75, 85
working sets: 3 sets of 5 at 105-105-105

My form was much better this time. I used to have to think of all the different parts of this movement, which totally messed with my head: knees out, heels, elbows up, etc. Now, I can just do it, and the only thing I had to look out for today was heels, stay on the heels, since all the other bodyparts seemed to be doing the right things for once!

Tea, just a thought, but what are your macros like? Percent of prot/carbs/fat each day and/or each meal? You might get some mileage out of tweaking the carbs if they're high, even veggie carbs, or moving them around, like taking more earlier in the day and/or post workout, less in the evening. I see that you have 125 as a goal weight, but at 5'8", that sounds really low...? I think that you might be a lot closer to leaned out than you think, especially since you are lifting now. Just a thought, but it seems pretty common for weight loss to slow, the closer you get to goal, and you might just be in that phase. Add in weight lifting, adding muscle weight plus retained water weight from muscle repair, and I'd expect the scale to slow way down. You might look to other methods of measuring progress, like tape measuring, and bodyfat percentage, how the clothes fit, comparison pics, etc. Anyway, good luck with that. I'm sure you'll figure it out, if you keep measuring and tweaking your program.

ETA: Well, wrote that up and forgot to hit send. On my way out the door now. Tiki, I missed your post the first time...welcome back!

Hi there!

I did some cardio last night and am still nicely sore from it and the marathon strength training on Tuesday. Most likely no exercise today, but off tomorrow so will definitely do some then. I have tomorrow off, so maybe I'll finally take some time to work on my exercise list instead of just talking about it.

Cheryl - I don't know if I get bored or just carried away. Probably a little bit of both.

Tiki - I know I haven't gotten nearly the number of head colds this year that I normally get, could be from the healthier diet.

Silver -I find that I have a lot of small annoyances myself... Nothing big on its own, but adds up to ice cream or chips...

Tea - a slight calorie increase might be worth a shot, you can always try it for a few weeks and see what happens.

Mel - once Canadian, always Canadian!

Lydia - Hope DS has fun this weekend! And cool story from your client!

Good weekend everyone!

Tiki- Welcome back. I think most doctors just don't know WHAT to say, since they either have the same problem or have found compliance with their advice so dismally low. Come on, Tiki...you know what to do and how to do it! Remember how good it felt to be smaller and strong and fit? Com on back

I'm headed to cross fit and came home first because I forgot my banana. I haven't eaten them in years, but a few sessions of cramping legs and feet convinced me that maybeit really was a good idea. I deliberately don't look at their website to see what the WOD will be.

and I am EXACTLY the opposite.

I'm back (maybe someone remembers me?!) after too long. Had my baby boy at the end of October & thanks to a family emergency & moving back to Canada from Costa Rica (which took a ridiculous 2 months!) I just got back into the gym a month ago.

No workout today but tomorrow morning my mom will be here first thing to watch the boy while I sweat it out. This has been working well for getting me to the gym but she is having knee surgery in 2 weeks & I'll have to find some other way to make it happen for a little while. Sigh.

Happy Canada Day fellow Canucks!!

Hi peeps (as Cheryl would say ),

I've got some news for you.
But first, Elisa and Mr. Mel - a delayed Happy Canada Day! Boy, was it ever nice to wake up in the middle of the week and NOT have to go to work.

I have lurked the last few days as I somehow wasn't in the mood for writing.

I feel like I am not making any progress whatsoever. The foot is really getting on my nerves. I had my orthotics adjusted and it actually feels worse.
Anyhow, I do exercise but without a good cardio I will never lose the lard. About two weeks ago, my naturopath doctor suggested we do the body analysis. She says the machine is very reliable (I forgot what it is - a small portable thingy, the doc had to weigh me on the doctor's scale and input the weight and height. So it's not a scale. She placed some electrodes for me (it uses impedance). According to the results, my BF % is 21.3%. It determined that my BNR is 1850 calories.

I actually gained some weight (CHeryl, remember I have been saying you will get to 150's before I do) but I knew that. However, before deciding to celebrate I should I should get the analysis done at the gym as well so that I compare oranges to oranges (because I had it done a few times at the gym in the past). I had it done at the gym the same evening and according to that one, I am still 22.4 % BF (i.e. unchanged). The 6 lbs that are gained should on the gym analysis as approx. 1 lbs of fat and 5 lbs of lean body mass (if one can believe it). So I guess that is not so bad. (Is it normal to gain fat when the lean body mass goes up?) The gym scale/device says my BMR is 1450 calories.

THat's a huge difference though, isn't it? 400 calories a day. Of course I don't know which device is more reliable.

Ok, that was info number 1.

Info number 2:
I have decided to get a rowing machine. Only God knows when I will be able to run or Zumba (on a regular basis) again, if ever and apparently the eliptical is not so good for the darn foot. I thought about it for a few days and I got one on Tuesday evening. It's not Concept 2 (I wish) but a German less fancy machine. My only beef with it is that handlebar is too thick for my hands (I guess they assume Fräuleins don't row, only guys do ). I may have to return it, but that's to be determined, I don't want to judge after 2 uses.
So far, I have used it only gently because I am somewhat worried about my lower back (continues to be an issue). But I can tell it is a good leg workout and a good core workout as well. My abs are really sore today - though I did an abs session at the gym yesterday followed by 10 minutes on the rower at home, then Pilates this morning and I swam laps at lunch time.

Anyway - does any of you have any experience with rowers? If so, did it cause any problems for your lower back? Any other input is welcome. I can return it if I decide so. Or I can upgrade to Concept 2 but that's about 2x the amount of $. There is also another model, a diff. brand but it has the tank with the water sloshing around and I don't find it so groovy. But it apparently generates more resitance than the COncept 2, which is odd since the Concept 2 is supposed to be the cadillac of rowing machines.

Anyway, please tell me what you think, including that I am crazy.

Shannon, I will try your workout one day and if I don't post afterwards it means it killed me.

Tiki, special to you. Extra weight sucks with a capital S.

Sorry, I can't remember what everybody else posted and this is getting long anyway.
P.S. I saw 300 last night. Gerard Butler's body ... what happened to the drool emoticon? I was going to plant about 10 of them here in a row.

to all.

Alena

So went to the gym - 10 minutes on elliptical and then I went to a 50/50 class (half cardio, half strength training with weights, resistance bands and core training). Of course I set up WAAAAYYY in the back. I made it through the class but looking at my round self trying to do crunches off the edge of a step board was HILARIOUS! I looked like Violet after she ate Willy Wonka's gum.

Will do straight cardio / strength training classes for a week to remind my muscles what they are "supposed" to be doing then add actual weights back next week. And also will IGNORE the bday cake that the EX dropped off for The Girl.

Jamsk8r--

My goal is on the lower end for several reasons. One is because I've had severe menstrual problems that has caused me to become iron-deficient anemic several times in the past five years. So, my obgyn and I calculated weight and body fat % to get onto the lower end of what would be alright for someone of my height in order to help take care of the problem. She suggested I get into an athletic percentage of body fat so I have to research that a bit, though I believe it's under 18% body fat?

I tend not to reveal my height on 3fatchicks because I then have to go into these kinds of explanations, etc etc

But yeah, I'm also aware that weight lifting and getting closer to my target goal weight will slow down my overall weight loss progress

I've started eating a couple hundred calories more since eating less or at the level I've been eating for awhile has not seem to help me lose weight on the scale. All I can do is try!!

~ tea

Tea, sorry. I was in a hurry, and didn't mean to sound critical or anything. Sounds like you have a plan for getting there, and your doctor (and you) would know better than me, of course. I'll try to keep my foot out of my mouth from now on!

Alena, sorry to hear about the foot. I've used the Concept2 at the CF gym, and an older version at the Y, that's all. No problems with the lower back, but it's one of those full body workout deals, if you do it long enough. I don't use a lot of resistance on the Concept2, since my trainer is picky about the proper rowing form, so I only set the resistance on 4, since that is what works best for me. We row for distance/speed, though, not as a resistance workout, so your requirements may be different than mine. The handles on the concept 2 seem pretty fat to me, too, so I wonder if they'd be any better. Can you just replace the handle on your rower with something easier to grip?

LG, welcome back! So, are you back with your old trainer, too?

Ennay, I can't eat anything like oatmeal, any time of the day, without getting crazy carb cravings the whole next day. I just try to steer clear, as Tea said, since I'm obviously not in total control of that kind of food, yet.

Mel, let us know how the CF workout went, and whether the banana helped!

I'm back from 6 hours of weedwacking. That always kills my low back and my shoulders. It's ten thirty p.m. here, and I'm ready to crash. I need sleep, and lots of it. Been staying up too late the last few nights, so tonight, I'll try to make up for it.

Hey Peeps!

The CF Report:

Did another version of the "Runny Fran" today.
Run 400 meters
21 Thrusters
21 Pull-ups
Run 300
15 Thrusters
15 PU
Run 200
9 Thrusters
9 PU

Upped my barbell thruster weight to 55# today. That was almost too much for these reps, but I got through it. 18:25, using the blue band for pull-ups. Had to break up all sets of thrusters and pull-ups, since my shoulders and arms were just shot from the weedwacking marathon yesterday. Gym is closed tomorrow, so I'm skating at the waterfront instead. Food will likely be somewhat off tomorrow, then back OP Sunday.

Home early!

LG! Welcome back

After yesterday's cross fit, I could hardly get up and do cardio this morning. I'm just exhausted. Having a cat on guard and a kitten meowing all night doesn't help either I did manage cardio, but skipped the gym. I'm contemplated going to cross fit this evening, but I suspect dh will talk me out of it.

Alena- I owned a very cheap rower about 20 years ago which did hurt my lower back. It was really crummy and I wasn't nearly as strong then as I am now. I use the concept 2 rowers at cross fit and my gym, and they are great. No back problems at all. It really is great no impact exercise. Can you try one a few times and make sure it doesn't bother your feet before you invest? They aren't cheap, that's for sure.

Tiki- Good job!

Tea- When it comes down to it, each of us is an experiment of one. You've been amazingly patient. Hope the changes help.

The banana helped me yesterday- it was not a hard workout for me tho. Hmmmm....maybe there is a link there?
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 kettle bell push-thrusts each arm (those wrist guards are FANTASTIC!)
as many rounds as possible for 20 minutes.

Kitten had her claws clipped this morning and got a clean bill of health. She is now exploring the rest of the house.

Good morning. Rowing yesterday and a spot of knockabout tennis in the afternoon. Today, supermarket plus seeing an old, old friend. We'll probably walk.

Alena - I row regularly, usually intervals, and I love it.

When my lower back is niggling I take it a bit easier or sometimes don't row (but that's usually when I'm taking it fairly easy across the board). I have the impression that it depends on the individual's back. I've read that Ranulph Fiennes (British explorer who's done far too many endurance expeditions in far too many continents ...) finds it niggles his back a bit.

I use a Concept 2 at the gymn. I think that it's important to be as comfortable as possible on the machine to help with form. There's a lot of very poor form (chain wobbling about, heads lolling and jerking, shoulders going all round the shop) at the gymn and I feel sure those people's backs suffer. If I was in the market and very serious, I'd go for a Concept 2.

Tiki - hullo there! And welcome back! Can't properly remember but did you disappear from here when you got a new job? Anyway, good to see you. Like Mel said, you know what to do and we are here to cheer you on.

Have a good Saturday, everyone.