I think the best thing you can do for yourself to give yourself a feeling of well-being is to invest in a good electronic treadmill. (Not the cheapie kind that you will quit using after a few months.) Having it right in the house makes it easy to go on it for 45 minutes three or four times a week. For those of you who haven't exercised in awhile you will find out how GOOD you feel after doing this and will actually WANT to do it. All you have to do is walk briskly - you don't have to run. Look in the magazine "Runner's World" for the top rated treadmills. I invested a Life Fitness treadmill and I'm very happy with it. TRU and Precor are good too.

I found my treadmill used in the paper. I was quite a hassle to get someone to meet me at the person's house that was selling it and having them move it but I saved a lot of money this way. Also, check out www.yahoo.com Auctions and www.ebay.com Auctions. If you can't afford a treadmill another good exercising machine is the Nordic Track and you can get one of those pretty cheap on Ebay. I wouldn't buy a Nordic Track Walkfit treadmill though because this is a manual treadmill and is hard on your feet and knees.

I bought a Welso treadmill from Kmart about 3 yrs. ago. It was about $400.00 and I just LOVE it. I would really freak out if it broke.

Hubby's friend said, "waste of $$$" . He knows his wife but not me. I was very determined! He said it would be shoved in a closet within a month. WRONG! I use it faithfully everyday...

Hubby says he has to buy a new belt for it cause it is wearing out LOL Does anyone know who sells just the belt???

Take care and thanks for listening

Sherrie, I don't know who sells just the belt. But I did want to say "Good for you!" . My hubby had to take ours apart to fix the belt. My daughter said we should be proud. She didn't think too many people wore out treadmills! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! Dontworrybehappy, You are SO right about the walk making you feel good.

Needssupport,
Thank-you so much for writing back. Its nice to see that someone else likes treadmills and it is also nice to when ya get a message from someone "walking in your shoes". (by that I mean, wanting to lose weight). There are so many places on the net where you can find buddies but I think 1/2 of them give up when the going gets tough and forget that they are buddies with someone. They never write. I am looking for someone to give me inspiration and a pat on the back when I am doing good. So far no luck...except for you Thanks again...

I walk on my treadmill 2x in the am and then 2 more in the pm. It takes me 30 min. each time. I started walking on the treadmill cause I was ashamed to go to the gym when I was real big and also cause I have 3 kids and you never have to worry about taking them out in the rain, cold, or heat. (My kids r 8, 3 and 1) Spending that $400.00 along with my determination has totally changed my self esteem and my life. If it broke tommorow am, I would have another one by tommorow night! LOL

The only other form of exercise that I do other than running after my kids and all the neighbors kids is the Ab-Slide. I do this 8min. before I walk in the am and again 8min. in the pm. I love and swear by this also!!! It is really helping me with my tummy

Well, I think I will end this now. I am sleepy. Maybe I will check on ya tommorow. Take care and "KEEP WALKING"...Sherrie

Sherrie, Wow, you certainly have me beat! I walk on the treadmill 2-4 times a week for 45-60 min. I was doing a lot of exercise videos. I seem to get bored with the same routine. I have a million videos, but I consider it an investment in my health! Amazingly, I really do use most of them. Wow, four times a day! Makes me tired thinking about it..........Do you do anything with weights? I like to use them once, or on a good week, twice a week. I know what you mean by needing a pat on the back...this losing weight AND GAINING HEALTH is tough work. So, consider your back patted today....4 times a day, wow!

Needssupport,
I messed up when I wrote that post last night. I ment that I walk 2 miles in the am and 2 miles in the pm. (A total of 4 miles a day). So, I guess I walk 28 miles a week cause I usually do this 7 days a week.
Suprisingly, I dont really get tired of walking. It kinda relaxes me at first and then gives me energy when I am done.
My kids are great when I exercise too. My 8yr. old is at school and my 3yr. old watches a movie or Nick Jr. and my 1yr. old I usually have on my bed playing with toys. Believe it or not, he doesnt even try to get down. It helps so much when the kids understand your routine and cooperate with you.
I cant remember if I told you or not but I started my weightloss battle jan. 2000. I was 170 when I started. I continued till july when my mom died and got down to 126. Then I quit...I didnt want to do ANYTHING after she died. I gained 21lbs. between july and dec. then jan. 2001 I started again determined to get it off once and for all... I am down to 132 now. I want to be 110. This is my goal.
When I reach my goal, I am gonna quit smoking. A very bad habit I admit but I just cant lose weight and quit smoking at the same time. I figure if I get to 110 then I can afford to gain a few and not hate myself for it. (some say you gain weight when u quit smoking)
I guess I will say goodnight...I will write tommorow.

Sherrie, You still have me beat. Even in an hour, I don't get in 4 miles YET. But when I first started, going fast was about 1 1/2 miles an hour. I cool down faster than that now! I'm 45 and I don't think I ever learned much about physical fitness. So, I had to start at the beginning. But I am learning, but it is a challenge. Sounds like you have wonderful kids! It is so good that you are exercising even though it is very difficult with children. Twice a day. I still say WOW. Keep working hard and keep posting. I don't think very many people want to hear of health goals, except here. I think it is a wonderful blessing to be able to come here to "talk". Twice a day............wow

Needsupport,
You are great for my ego! LOL Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. When I 1st got my treadmill, I only went about 2mph. and that was about 3yrs. ago. Now I go at about 4mph. and It takes me 30min. for 2 miles. Take your time about walking faster or you will get frustrated and then just give up.
You are a very nice person it seems and I look foward to getting little emails from you each day I havent been on the computer all this weekend cause I have been real busy around my house. This is why I havent gotten back with you.
Take care and I will see ya tommorow....FRIEND! Sherrie

Hi, Sherrie Glad to be an encouragement to you! I look forward to seeing how your day was and "talking" to you, too! I only got to walk for 25 minutes today. My grandson was here for the day.... my oldest daughter (mother of the grandson) was here some of the day... my other daughter was in the mood to talk... and I would do NOTHING to discourage that . She's in college and I LOVE it when she talks to me! I did some ab exercises, too. What is an ab-slide? I've got a couple of videos of ab exercises that I do. I'm really sorry about you losing your Mom. That must be really hard.

Needssupport,

How are you this evening? I have done really good today. I also weighed myself and I am down to 131lbs. I am starting to feel much better about myself. I can actually walk by a mirror and look in it now! HAHA I have 21 more lbs. before I reach my goal. This may seem like alot but when I reach my goal I want to quit the awful habit of smoking and I want to be able to gain a few without disgusting myself! Know what I mean???

I walked my 4miles today and I did my AbSlide for 20min. (this is a little machine with rollers on the bottom) I could try to explain what it looks like and how it helps but just go to www.abslide.com and you will see it. It helps with the tummy area. I have used it faithfully for 30 days since the day I got it and I just love it. It is really helping me

Do you have a goal in mind or a date you would like to be there by? Just wondering. Not sure if I told ya but I want to reach my goal by the middle of June. Short term or long term goal???

I try to walk early in the am and later in the pm but if I know I wont be home that evening then I walk in the afternoon instead. I really try hard not to miss cause if I walk in the afternoon then go somewhere at night, I feel a feeling of accomplishment. (I also feel I can cheat a little and not feel guilty

About 2mths ago, I made a goal for myself to walk 4 miles a day for 30 days! I reached my goal and now I cant stop! LOL I decided to start another 30days and now I am ADDICTED! HAHA

I will say goodnight now. How about if we weigh-in every mon? what do ya think?

Take care...***HUGS***Sherrie

Hi Sherrie, I've seen abslides and the other ab machines before. I guess I just had a brain lapse! We have a really old version-just a wheel, but it works pretty well. You have used it 30 days! Wow again! As for goals, the only one I really have is just to take one day at a time and eat healthy. I just want to not be obsessed with sweets. They were really my downfall! As for weighing in on Monday-I just started that last week. I also post on the Christian Encouragers. I finally got over the pride part and posted my weight. It was very hard for me to be honest about my weight.... but if I'm gonna have support I have to do it! Now that I'm on a roll, if you want me to do that with you too I'll be glad to. As of last Monday my weight was (gulp!).... 178. Sometimes I may not post it till Tuesday. Hubby is off on Mondays. I guess I've" talked" enough tonight . Have a good day tomorrow!

Needssupport,
Hi friend. I am happy to see that you had a good day. Thanks for posting your weight. That isnt sooo bad. I know you can do it. BTW, what is your name so ? I feel strange calling you Needssupport. LOL

My day was good but busy. I helped a neighbor out that got into a car accident mon. I took her to see her car and she started to cry. It was awful. She had no trunk left It was a Dodge Interepid 2000. She had just dropped her baby off at the babysitter and was on her way to work, stopped for a yellow light and the Diesel truck behind her didnt want to stop so he plowed into her at 45miles an hr. Her hubby is in the Navy and on a ship. I thank God that she had her seatbelt on and her baby and 5yr. old werent in there. The rear windshield shattered too and glass was ALL over. Anyways, I took pictures for her and then had them developed so she has them for the lawyer and the insurance co. She cant move her neck or shoulders and is in much pain. I feel bad for her but I also cant help but feel bad for the guy in the truck. Even though it was his ignorance or him not paying attention...I just have a feeling he is going to suffer too. (emotionally and financially)

As far as my diet and walking, I had it all done before I left! For some reason, I was really hungry today. Maybe it was the stress of the above or something and then seeing all the good food at the grocery store??? I did good though. I usually have a bowl of Granola and banana cereal around 8pm. but I was soooo hungry and felt myself getting ready to binge that I ate it around 630pm. That helped and I felt satisified. Now I think I can make it till tommorow...

Take care and I will see ya tommorow my friend, Bye....Sherrie

P.S. How do you get the waving smilies??? They r just sooo cute?

Hi, Sherrie! Thanks for the encouragement. Knowing that alot of people here have started at my weight or above and are losing does give me encouragement. I have NEVER been this heavy in my life. People that say it is harder to get it off after 40 are right. That's why I'm lifting weights. Everything I've read says that will help. Yesterday was tough. I wanted to eat everything sweet in my house. I had a very tiring day and when I looked back at what I ate I found that I had only had 1 fruit. No wonder!!!!!!!!!I guess I'll learn some day that those simple carbs are really important for my energy level. I also had very little water-dehydration,too! When I am tired I want sweets. I don't know if any of that applies to you yesterday or not. Sometimes when I have a stressful day, I realize I have not given my body the fuel that it needed. (and I wonder why I'm hungry...) I bet your neighbor was thrilled to have your help. That was so nice of you! Hey, you have a message under treadmill-I think someone was trying to post here, maybe. "Talk" tomorrow. Bye! ( it's : wave : without the spaces) He is adorable, isn't he?

You forgot to tell me your name silly I feel funny calling you needssupport.
I had a great day today! Everything just seemed to go perfect from the get-go. I just couldnt resist slipping onto the scale this am. I am down another lb. to 129lbs. I am sooo excited
There are many who are LARGE on this board! You are not even big really! I started my diet at 170 so I know you can do it Whenever you feel yourself slipping, put a mental picture in your head of how you are gonna look when your done. That should stop the craving or even post a picture of what you use to look like on the fridge. Trust me...it really helps!
I am 5'3" and 170 just wasnt me. I wanted to let the real me out. It is everyones personal decision of how they want to look. (someone else maybe happy at that) All I know is you have to be happy with yourself, otherwise you will never make anyone else happy.
I am getting happy now after a long while and I will be estatic when I reach my goal

Take care my friend and by for now...