ditzy.. you are noble to bake. and misty: I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!

hi meg!!!!

i just got back from a 2--hour gym workout. and FINALLY, after about a whole month of trying, i did 3 sets of 15 at 25 pounds on the rotary chest thingie... the one area of my bod [the upper chest] that's unbelievably weak!!

yipppeeee yahoOOOOOOOO!!!!!

and pookie.. what else did the cardio guy say??? i'm glad you told him that you were sweating. lots of docs have this bizarre idea that exercise is the same for everyone.. so they think that someone who is not conditioned at all can suddenly walk a 15 minute mile!! as if!!!!!!

congrats!!! i'm real impressed here...

I walked for 5 whole minutes today.....its a start

Misty! Good for you! Can you do it again tomorrow?

Ummm ... Jiff ... what's a rotary chest thingie? Are those the tassles that Peachie was talking about a while back?

Pookie the Gazelle -- tell your doc you'll wring out your towel on his desk if he doesn't believe you sweat!

And congratulations to every else who's moving and losing and grooving! I made it back to the gym for the first time since surgery two weeks ago and felt so good that I walked four miles -- not very fast, but it sure felt wonderful to stretch out my legs. I still have a week at least before I can get back to weights but I'm pretending to be a personal trainer for a buddy so am getting my jollies through him. I have to concoct the arm workout from you-know-where for him for tomorrow.

<groan> arm workouts. oh well.. no. my problem is the chest and shoulders. and that rotary chest thingie.. i don't know the real name [obviously!!!} but you sit facing front, and step on the foot pedal to bring the handgrips forward. they're at about chest height. and then you PUSH them forward. it works your rotator and pecs and deltoids.

and i'm such a weakling on it!!!! but doing it with tassles... now THERE'S an image!!!!

and for me... about 3 miles of walking. a quiet day. maybe i'll do situps on my lovely big grey ball later...

you're doing GREAT!!!! it's all done one step at a time. and you've already done more than you ever thought possible...

[I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!

Thank you all for the words of encouragement! I walked for 10 minutes today, but then I took a nap, lol.

This is so cool! I love this thread -- everyone's doing just a little bit more every day! What's the saying? A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step? And then two and then three ...

Pookie calls me a Gym Rat now but it was SO hard for me in the beginning too -- I was definitely a Gym Turtle when I started. But I did it just like you guys -- a little bit more every day. You just never know where you'll end up!

Pook -- I love the elliptical (just like Jiff ). It's like pedalling a bike while standing instead of seated -- you move your feet in an elongated oval pattern, if that makes any sense. I think the Gazelle is like that too? It's great because there's no impact (you never lift your foot off the pedal) so it's good for people with knee and foot problems. But you burn tons of calories and can hit different parts of your legs, calves, and butt by changing the incline and even going backwards on it. I hope you try one soon.

misty.. after my first three trips down the driveway with the oxygen tank, i slept for 2 hours!!! you EARNED that nap..

and pookie.. like meg said, ellipticals CAN be fun. kind of a nice groove [if you don't fall off!!!]

and i gotta say, gang, isn't it a bit strange to see meg post NO EXERCISE??? it's great to see you, girl, but not reading about lunges and biceps from you is WEIRD!!! but we know you'll be back to it soon...

as for me, a two hour hike with poochie. she's resting right now. and 5 loads of laundry. and the groceries. oh what an exciting day!!!

Misty! I started out just like you....even down to the napping part!

I took three days off while down in Virginia and I am itching to get back on the tread mill....and will....IF THE LITTLE KID'S BUS EVER COMES!!!!

After much hemming and hawing and discussing and looking at my heart rate I am no longer in the running. (for a while ) I will no longer get on the tread mill for 1 hour at a time.

I will do two 30 minute sets of brisk/ altenating with slower walking with an incline of not higher than 3. I will not jack my heart rate up so high. I will be good, I will behave.

BUT I"LL BE BACK!

peach

Thanks peach thats good to know! Good luck to you.