Welcome to Everyday Exercisers -- a daily thread that focuses on healthy weightloss and overall fitness through regular exercise. Our goals are to stay active, stay hydrated, and make healthy eating choices. We share our exercise plans for the week, and check in each day to share our progress...and our set-backs. Here you'll find a supportive and encouraging environment in which to pursue your fitness goals, and a community of people who share your commitment to fitness and provide motivation and inspiration to each other. Welcome!

I don't know what I am going to do for exercise today... But I am going to do something. Actually - since I started typing this I thought - I am going to log off the computer and go do cruches. Mark me down for 300. I have houseguests for the next 4 days - I am going to stick to my regular workouts on th and sa, but may not get everything in on the other two days.

Good morning all!

Just want to report a nice evening.... relaxed, and had a nice hot bath, and I watched that new Fox show "Murder in Small Town X". Now, I'm not much for those reality shows (I've NEVER seen survivor!) but I am a huge murder buff! Ok, that sounded wrong! What I meant to say is that I love true crime, and this seemed like it might be a good show. Anyway, I wasn't impressed by the way they basically handed the clues to the "detectives", but I'll keep watching! Did anyone else watch it?

I guess the lazy night worked, because I managed to haul my butt out of bed this morning, and got in a short, but good swim! Just so you know, it was really you guys that got me there! As I lay there in bed, cursing my alarm clock, I remembered my promise to you guys that I would make it to the pool ,and so, kicking and screaming all the way (ok, maybe not! ) I got moving! So, I'm still heading to Curves this afternoon, but I feel pretty good about today already!

More talk later!

Jees, Morrigan, you're really right on my tail, aren't you? 300 Crunches! I can maybe do 3! Ok, so my abs aren't my strongest muscle... I can see where yoga is helping that though! BTW, how was your yoga class?

Good luck fitting some form of exercise in while you have guests! I find that so hard to do! But maybe you can get them to do some stuff with you... like weeding, perhaps?

Morrigan: 300?! My hat is off to you! I HATE doing ab work, and "remember" to do it maybe only once a week! I learned a new move you might like -- in regular crunch position, make sure your lower back is flat to the ground, contract your lower torso tight + flat, and lift slightly off the ground. Then rotate your upper torso clockwise (kind of trace a slight oval with your shoulders), while keeping your upper + lower abs tight. When you've done 10, switch directions. If you're doing it right, it REALLY burns!
Good luck with your houseguests! As Marvin says, perhaps you could get them to do something active with you? Perhaps a lovely walk by the lake?

Marvin: Congrats on getting in your swim! I'm so proud of you for going! Good for you!
The yoga tapes sound fun -- I'm STILL not fitting in yoga consistently, which is frustrating, because I really enjoyed it.
Sorry to say I didn't watch "Murder in Small Town X" -- for some reason, I just never got interested in seeing it, even though I like mysteries + even enjoy some trashy reality shows. You'll have to let us know how it turns out!

Sherryi: Have fun on your vacation! I hope you had a great yoga workout yesterday!

Dena: Thanks for the words of encouragement! Still, I know the only way I'm going to get stronger and up my metabolism is if I up the iron, as it were! I couldn't get all big like the muscle-building guys at my gym if I tried -- not enough testosterone! -- but I do want to be stronger, as that will help my body function better in everyday activities, and I do want more lean + toned muscle...and I know sticking with "girl weights" ain't gonna do it! But hey, just a few weeks ago I could barely curl 20lbs w/both arms, and now I'm doing 25, so eventually I'll be up to 30! "You've got to have a dream" as they say.

Winterstar: Nice handle! Welcome to the thread! I actually think exercising before changing your eating habits is the way to go -- so you don't get trapped into the mindset that it's all about food + what you weigh (whether it's all flab or not!), rather than your health and overall fitness. Smart approach! Look forward to seeing more of you!

Had to stick my update in a new post, that was so long!

As I mentioned, yesterday I did my weights in the morning. Stayed on track with eating, though I didn't drink enough water (boo!).

Today: up in the AM for Cardio Day -- 35 mins intervals (+ cooldown) on the elliptical crosstrainer -- I went 3.39 miles or 5600 steps! The freaky thing is, though I am all about building muscle, I think I'm actually starting to enjoy cardio! I (gasp!) look FORWARD to it! Even more than my weights workouts!! VERY strange. I'm beginning to suspect I've been possessed. Now if only that demon liked housework....

Hey guys! i'm stuck on a plateau which ticks me off. 11 pounds down and for almost 2 weeks now I have been stuck. i am exercising my butt off but no luck with the loss. Oh well, time will tell.
yesterday i did step aerobics for a half an hour and walked 2 miles on the treadmill.
Today I am going to kickboxing class for 45 minutes.

Sometimes I think I am doing too much exercise (so I am cutting down a bit) and my body is going into starvation mode. Not sure why because I weigh 231.

Oh well, enjoy the day!
Saggy

Saggy: Have faith! I was on a plateau that lasted for TWO MONTHS!! I've only just recently started to see the scale even waver!
It's entirely possible that your body is going into starvation mode, especially given the amount of exercise you're getting in. I think starvation mode is a deceptive term, as it encourages us to think that it only happens when we get severely underweight or aren't eating anything. At 231 w/the amount of exercise that you do, you might need a lot more calories to function than you think you do. Oftentimes I've broken a plateau by just adding in a few healthy snacks in the day, as my body would plateau in "starvation mode" after an initial drop, since I wasn't accounting for the extra activity. Here's a link to a basal metabolic rate calculator, which will tell you how many calories you need just to exist (without counting activity of any kind) and how many you need to maintain your current weight.
http://www.mentalagility.com/bmr.htm
If you're getting in only about as much as your BMR, your body definitely needs more calories to sustain your basic lifestyle (just getting up in the morning burns more cals than your BMR) AND your activity. I generally aim for about 250 calories less than the recommended amount for maintenance, and then try to burn an average of 250 cals per day.
Also, you might want to try tracking your measurements as well as your weight -- sometimes it will turn out that you're getting smaller, even though you can't see a difference on the scale, because muscle does weigh more than fat.
Hope this helps, and good luck!

Thanks Copperbleu, I went to the website and checked out my BMR. I also took my measurements and recorded them. Last year at this time i weighed 185. I can't believe how easy the weight piled on in this past year. It was my own fault because I stopped exercising and started eating too many donuts. Now my husband wants to start a family. (actually he wants to start trying while we are on vacation) . I feel like I should wait another month or two until I get down to 215 or so. I don't know what to do. I can't keep putting him off , we are already 30 and I don't want to be an older parent. UGH!
Saggy

Well the rain is not going away, so I am going to start weight training. I have the Kathy Smith Weight Training Video. I have also found some ab and hip exercises I am going to try.

Copperblu - Thank you for the website. I have been trying to find this information. Now I can keep everything in proper perspective and keep my body out of starvation mode.

Saggy - I would suggest talking to your doctor with your husband. He will give you the best advice for your situation.

Marvin - Congratulations for making it to the pool. I just read somewhere, that after a strenuous exercise session, you should give your muscles two days to recover.

Morrigan - I'm with everyone else, I could maybe do two.

I started 2 weeks ago and could barely do 10 in a row. Now I do 10 sets of 30 every day. Just start and build up gradually.

I didn't think I would get in any exercise - but I took my guests for a 1:13 hour walk in the woods by our house. I walked briskly and I think I wore them out - but at least I got my exercise in. And it was really nice too!

Saggy: I'm glad the info was useful!
Please don't beat yourself up for gaining weight -- I've gained + lost the same 10 (or 20) pounds so many times! I also think that waiting a few months or so ultimately won't make a lot of difference in terms of your age as a parent (6 months or a year older?), but WILL make a lot of difference in terms of not only your self-esteem and your recovery from the gains of pregnancy, but in your health throughout the pregnancy. The better shape you're in when you head down that road, the easier it will be to remain fit throughout your pregancy and avoid possible health complications. You'll not only feel better about yourself, but you'll be a lot stronger + healthier too -- and you'll only be a few months older when the baby's born than you would have been if you started now. That's just my 2 cents!

Winterstar: Yay for weight training! I LOVE weights -- and what they do for your metabolism + shape! Good luck! I'm glad that the calculator proved useful!

Morrigan: That's great that you got your guests to go for a walk with you!! I'm so glad that it worked out, and it sounds like it was lots of fun!
I'll try your tip of building up gradually -- although for that to work, I'll have to actually "remember" to do my much-dreaded ab exercises more regularly! Damn!

Boy, I am post-tastic today! Signing off --

I not only managed the KS upper body workout, the rain stopped long enough to fit in a 30 minute walk. I tried the ab & hip exercises. I think with a little practice, I will master the proper form. I am going to try and make an exercise schedule tonight. I am great at planning, horrible at following through.

Have a great evening everyone

First, I have a question. It is July 25, 7:10 PM. But since this site works off of GMT, it's already the 26th. Should I post on the 26th or the 25th? I didn't post last night because it was later than this when I logged on and I figured now that we are on daily threads, no one would go back and look at Tuesday.

Morrigan: Sounds like you've been busy with your berry picking and walking and wow - all those crunches! That's great! Do you see a big difference in your abs?

Marvin: Congrats on the Yoga teacher taking note of your weight loss and getting in your swim today! Hope you had a good workout at Curves.

Copperblu: That's great that you are looking forward to your cardio workouts. It's neat when this becomes fun instead of a "work" out because that makes it easier to stick to.

Sherryi: Sounds like you've been having some great workouts with your weights, cardio and yoga - a good variety.

Saggy: I started my exercise & diet program on May 29 and I lost 7 pounds and I've been stuck since about the end of June - partly due to eating more than I should. I measured myself and found I'd lost inches even though the scale didn't move. There are a lot of ways to measure progress besides the scale such as noting certain habits you've improved, how many days in a row you've worked out, if your clothes feel better, etc. Keep it up!

Winterstar (Jan) - Welcome! I am also following the WW Winning Points program. However, I haven't been keeping track like I should the last few weeks. I did today though. That's great that you made the best of the weather situation and got in some weight training and still got to walk today.

My update: Swam a lot yesterday. I know I swam 45 minutes doing laps but I was also in the pool for hours playing volleyball and just kicking around. Today I got up and did leg weight exercises and abs. Tonight it looks stormy out so I am goint to do a yoga routine and try to swim a little if the weather holds out.

I just did an hour on the stationary bike. I also did my body flex tape this morning and worked out with free weights.

Stamper, congrats on swimming for 45 minutes and doing Yoga!

Winterstar, good for you for not letting the rain stop you from exercising!

Saggy, I've been on a plateau forever. I've been working out with weights, so I'm just happy I haven't gained. (As we all know, muscle weighs more than fat.)

Copperblu, I actually look forward to my cardio, too. Now I'm also looking forward to working out with weights. That's a new one for me. I couldn't make it to the gym and I really miss working out on the machines. Who knew?!LOL

Marvin, congrats on making it to the pool so early. I'm not sure that I could do that.

Morrigan, wow... 300 crunches. You go, girl!

Let's keep working out. I know we all feel so much better when we do.
(Hugs),
Dena