Hello everyone. I am so glad that I found this forum. You have a really nice group here. It's good to find others who know what it's like to have a lot of weight to lose.

I'll tell ya a little about myself. I am married, and a grad student. That keeps me extremely busy (I know that no one here knows what that's like ) I have a little dog (miniature pinscher) that is spoiled rotten. He even has his own website--www.zeussdoghouse.com.

I have been doing pretty well on WW--lost 18 pounds, and have 83 to go, but my motivation is starting to wane. Does anyone have any advice--what do y'all do to stay motivated?

I've only been posting for a few weeks, but I'll welcome you nonetheless! It's nice to chat with people who understand our special needs.

Sounds like you are off to a great start! My motivation is renewed every time I work out, which I do in the morning. After working off those points, I'm not about to overeat!

Thanks for the welcome! What kind of exercise do you do? I try to exercise in the morning, but usually keep hitting the snooze button. So, I work out in the evening. At least I do it, though. I know what you mean about exercise being motivation to not overeat! It's too much work to blow it on a few bites of something.

In December we joined a gym nearby; 24 hour access, cardio machines and weights too. Down side is that there are NO staff members present; so I hired a personal trainer for a month or so to show me how to use the wieght machines.

Now I do 10 min of the cross trainer (harder than it sounds), 20 min of the treadmill and then either my upper or lower body weights if I have time. I'm increasing my treadmill speed every week or so. But that cross trainer/eliptical thing is kicking my butt! It looks easy, but man it gets me sweating in no time. I think I will grow to hate it.

I just can't do evenings. If I dont do it 1st thing in the morning, it will NOT happen--I drop the kids off at school, hit hit the gym, home to shower and to the office. Having a home office makes this really easy.

Are you using your activity points during the day? I"m really trying to 'forget' about them.

That's great that you have a personal trainer. Since I'm a grad student, I have access to the campus rec facility, which is very nice and has a lot of weight machines and cardio stuff, but no one to show me how to use it. Which weight machines do you use? I just kind of guessed at what was a balanced work out, doing upper and lower body on alternating days.

Here's what I do: 2-3 sets of 15 reps

Lower body-- leg press, leg curl, leg extension, ab crunch

Upper--overhead press, lat pulldown, bicep curl, pec fly, tricep extension

Does this sound anything like what your trainer told you to do?

Girrrrrrrrrrrrrlllllllll, what language are you talking?



pec fly????????????lat pulldown??????????

All I know is that I have a list that goes like this: 'legs: yellow hammerstrength, 40lbs, 3@12 , etc.

I feel so uninformed that I don't know the real names!!!!!!!!!!!I'll have to figure that out.

Lots of arm stuff to rid me of that every popular back of the upper arm flab.......Lord, please don't let me get my grandmother's arms!!!!!!!!!

Hints from the trainer; alternate upper and lower body days (which you are already doing), avoid weight bearing cardio if you can (which I sadly ignore since the bicycle never did make me sweat!), eat at least a little something before you go (which I don't do), drink water during, and do at least 12 reps each set (I do 3)--it takes 12 to have effect or so she says.

People are starting to notice my smaller behind; even tho I hate that cross trainer/eliptical machine I know I have it to thank.

Isn't is great when people start to notice? That's when I feel like I've really accomplished something.

I just know the names because they're written on the machines.

I also have a love/hate relationship with the elliptical. Love the results, but hate what it takes to get them! I do it for 20 min and the bike 10 min every day. I also walk 3 miles. I'm wondering if I'm overdoing the cardio.

Man, you are an animal! I'm sure one day I may be able to do 20 min on the eliptical, but right now that seems light years away. Truly, the 10 min I do just about kill me!

You are really doing great with the workouts and the 3 mile walks! How do you find the time?

If I can find 30 min a day, I'm doing great!

Regarding overdoing it, have you asked your doctor? Are you checking your heartrate every now and then during cardio?

How do I find the time? I have a boring life, that's how! I don't cook or clean the house during the week. I quit doing those things about a year ago, and I love it. Being in grad school, I was running myself ragged trying to run a household and work/school (I'm sure you can't imagine being busy . Now, either hubby cooks, or we eat out. I have someone come in to clean the house once every 2 weeks, and that is wonderful, and not too expensive. So, all I do in the evenings is exercise and eat dinner. The walking is family time--I go with my husband and our dog. Life is much easier since I quit trying to do everything.

But I'm sure that when I have kids, life will change--A LOT!

But oh I am dreading this week's weigh in. A package of cookies jumped right into my shopping cart this weekend, and my alternate (evil) personality gobbled every one! Plus, I've cut back on the exercise because of some sores on my feet. Be prepared to pick up the sobbing pieces on Thurs. evening!

I remember the days where my evenings were my own........and all I did was watch TV! WHAT was I thinking????????? I'm glad you are doing something with your 'free' time b/c you are right, when you have kids, it's ALL about them! They are worth it, but life as you know it now, will be over!

My WI is Wed; I may be sobbing b4 you! I won't be online from Thursday-Sun, so let me say this now........'I"m so proud of you! You stayed OP for most of the week and lost (insert # of lbs here)! YIPPEE!

I'm sure you'll do fine. If not, you will refocus (which is where I'm at this week).

RE: working out; did you find that your weight loss was negatively impacted by 'growing' your muscles? I've read that muscles weigh more that fat...and I was thinking about that. I can't imagine it is a big impact--otherwise we would all ditch working out ASAP!

Good luck Thursday!

p.s. EXCELLENT decision to have someone clean your house! I started that 4 years ago, and I do 2x a month too. Now, a large part of my weekends are spent having fun with the kids/hubby instead of cleaning toilets!

Worth every penny!

As far as working out, I found that my growing muscles enhanced my weight loss. While muscle does weigh more than fat, it also burns more calories than fat. I think I read somewhere that muscle burns 50 calories per lb per day vs. 2 for fat. So, with more muscle, you're burning calories while you sleep, watch tv, etc.

I like the theory of muscles burning more calories, even when I'm still. Thanks for the info--it will make working out easier!