Made it to the gym today -
Did warm up on the treadmill - I even jogged a little
and weight machines

Everyone here is in shock from the tractor terror attack

I'm a little shaken too because I was there 2 hours before

Miriam - I'm glad you're okay. Having that kind of thing happen so near (and so frequently) must cause you a lot of anxiety.

harmonyBelle - Welcome to 3FC and the reluctant exercisers' thread!!

Pat - Good for you!! You've taken the first "steps" to fitness.

Dixiemae! It actually seems like we really CAN do this.

I looked through my address book, and to my surprise, none of my family live in or around Lafayette. Mostly up north, Fort Wayne, South Bend areas. oh well.

I just got off the scale today, and I am down to 229! I can't believe it! Now that's motovation! Today is steppin day, and I feel ok about it!

harmonyBelle! I think I can say that we all are looking forward to knowing you!

Heavyandhomebound~Drats I was hoping you had family near here. CONGRATS on your weight loss!! Today you made my day. My ball game comes on in 15 min. I will do some stepping while it is on. We CAN do this. Thanks

Miriam~Way to go at the gym! I have not watched the news so I don't know about the tractor terror. BUT I am very glad you and your family are safe.

MonteCristo~Thank you. 189 something here I come. I need the encouragement--this group is great.

Catch ya all later. Pat

Hi Y'all

Hoping tomorrow to get to the gym...

Not happy about traveling around Jerusalem though - each attack gives me the heebie jeebies.

Hi everyone~I did one hour of phone book stepping. I am a little tight in the hips but I feel good. I am pleased with myself that I got up and got moving. Day 2 on my exercise journey. Thanks Pat

Miriam- my prayers are with you. I can't imagine what's it's like over there!

Dixiemae-are you doing any stretching before you start steppin? I was also thinking of holding filled water bottles, perhaps lifting from the sides for a little while, or even curl-ups. I know my arms need to start moving, they feel soooooo weak!

Keep up the good work everyone!

Miriam--I haven't watched the news either but I will be thinking of you. I haven't watched much news since 9/11. My mom was at the Pentagon that day, she survived unscathed, but news just likes to rehash and rehash and never think about the families...oh goodness I've gotten started. Anyways...

heavyandhomebound & dixiemae--You both are inspirations. Just proof that exercising is always possible even with no equipment.

Oh yeah--heavyandhomebound--the water bottles are a good idea. As you progress sand is a good idea too.

Hi Everyone~

likenoother~I agree with you 100% they rehash,rehash, and rehash until I cried. News is something I don't watch unless it is a have too thing.

Heavyandhomebound~ I warm up before I start stepping. I should stretch after I finish stepping. I think it would have many benefits for me. I think the bottle filled with water is an excellent idea. Today I experimented a little because my right knee and left hip started aching. I stepped 100 steps left leg leading, then 100 steps right leg leading. Then I did straddle steps 50-50. Then I did over the top 50-50 then I did 20 toe taps each side. Then I did heel taps 50-50.Then I did I combined toe taps and heal taps 20-20. That eased the repetition on my knees and hips. I was sweating when I was done. So I feel like I worked my body. If we add the water bottles as you suggested doing curl ups for biceps, modified lateral raises for our shoulders, and rows: it would help us strengthen our arms and burn more calories. Then as likenoother suggested as we get stronger we could put sand in the bottles to make them a little heavier. Like she said we will be getting a good workout without a lot of equipment. We can go at our own pace. What do you think??

Hello everyone.

I'm joining this thread because I'm -really- going to need help staying motivated for the next 9 days.

Normally I work out at the local (military) gym every morning. It does not have AC (only essential equipment buildings and the commissary have AC on the military base). Going early in the morning and taking my daughter to the adult/child playroom has worked out great. She plays for an hour and a half, and I get my cardio exercise in on the treadmill/stairmaster/exercise bike/elliptical for that time, all before the non-ventilated room has a chance to get hot.

They converted a racquetball court for the room. It has 2 fans, 1 door, no windows.

Anyway, they decided to install AC in that room...which is a good thing (I'm not complaining about that!), but in the meantime, I can't use the room while they are doing construction.

Which means I can't take her. Which means I have to wait until my husband gets home from work in the evening. Which means the main cardio room is a sauna.

I went last night and went through double the water I normally do...and had to force myself to continue my normal routine. I'm dreading tonight.

Miriam, may angels watch over you.

snapless, hang in there. Keep drinking that extra water and listen to your body. You might need to dial back the usual intensity of your workout to keep from burning out in the heat. Remember it's only for 9 days. That AC is going to feel so good. I admire your commitment.

I think I have to nominate my dog as a reluctant exerciser. I got up a half hour early this morning so I could take him for a real walk instead of the usual pit stop in the backyard. It took just over five minutes to get to the street corner and he turned around to go back. At first I thought he just wanted an encore sniff of something, but nope, he was heading home. We've been going for 10 or 15 minute walks for awhile now and I think we tuckered the poor little guy out last night with our hour-long walk. He turns 10 this fall, so I think we better stick to the shorter walks.


However, I need to keep motivated to go for longer walks. Today I walked home from work which took about 40 minutes at a brisk pace.

Thank you all for your kind wishes. I did chicken out and not go to the gym today... Oh well, next week is a new week...

LOL harmony about your reluctant exercising dog!! And good for you for persevering and making sure you do your walk yourself.

Suzanne - that sounds rough! But you do sound very focused...

Dixie - you're so creative with your exercise! I enjoy reading about what you do!

Shay - how are you doing? Haven't been around here for a while!

Heavyandhomebound - nothing like scale motivation! Unfortunately - my scale has it in for me - I've been eating fine and exercising, and I've gained 2.2 lbs in a few days, with TOM not due for ages. WTH?!

Well I made it tonight to the gym. Hot hot hot! I was sweating before I even sat down at the first weight machine. At the second machine I noticed my shins glistening and realized it was rivulets of sweat my calf-length exercise pants hadn't soaked up.

I'm really hating this people. Luckily tomorrow is a holiday, my husband is off from work - so I'm hitting the gym at 6 AM to get my cardio in. Hopefully no one will be there and it will be blessedly cool.

Harmony, your dog sounds like a pip. Every dog I've ever had would have dragged me for miles if I'd allowed it. Good on you for exercising even though he didn't want to.

Miriam, have you thought about doing home exercises? Lunges, squats, crunches. If you have an exercise ball and a jumprope you could do all kinds of things. Honestly I'd be scared too. :/ And don't rely only on your scales, break out that tape measure too as well as thinking (or writing down) how you feel. That is always important.

As for being very focused, I guess I am. This time was it for me. I'd done the up-and-down diet-for-a-while and maybe a bit of the exercise-for-a-very-short-while thing and it wasn't working. Everyone has their own bottom - their own place they reach when they've just had enough and want their bodies (and their lives) back and in control. I reached mine about 2 months ago, and I haven't looked back.

Hi Suzanne, and welcome to the group! I can't believe you have been exercising without air conditioning. I would die! Seriously. Even in our 70 degree house I have to have a fan blowing on me when I run, or I'd probably faint dead away.

Shay, good to here from you. I'm sorry about your mother and your experience. I don't have tv, so I stay away from most of the news, but even the little I do see manages to convince me that the media in general is callous and uncaring.

You know what? I just noticed how diverse geographically this little group is. Japan, Canada, Israel, California, Virginia, Arkansas (not to leave out DixieMae, but your location isn't obvious ) That is pretty spread out for a group of less than ten people.