[Mel]

Steamy gyms (even though air conditioned) make for sluggish workouts! Because I go back to work after my workout, I can't get drenched. It's hard to do a "sweatless" workout in this weather. Just walking through the parking lot is too much.

Today I usually do legs lite, but I may have to rethink that unless they've really cranked up the A/C today.

Alaska is sounding good right about now, Pat. I'm sure I'd reconsider in January (haha, or even by late October!).

Have a good day, all

Mel

[Nix143]

Hi everyone, don't know if you remember I was asking for some advice as to how to get started - gym or home weights? Well I really can't afford the gym option right now so today I ordered myself some weights and I'm going to see how I go with that for starters. To be honest I have been desperate to start in one way or another and I'm amazed I've lasted this long. Anyway just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and even if I am a teeny weeny tiddler just starting out.......erm, can I come hang out with you guys? I've got a serious attack of the 'wanna be in your gang' itis

[Lydia227]

Originally Posted by Nix143

can I come hang out with you guys? I've got a serious attack of the 'wanna be in your gang' itis

OMG Yes! We love teeny weeny tiddlers. Enjoy your new free weights and keep us posted with how you are doing.

We all start somewhere. I was totally humbled yesterday watching this slip of a young woman lift way more than her body weight doing back squats yesterday. She not only had 45 pound plates on each side but I'm almost certain there were also 25's tacked on too. So today was my leg day and with renewed enthusiasm I decided I would add another 10 pounds to my lift. (I had just added another twenty last week) Nope, the knees just weren't really excited about doing that. Vain enough to want to try, but smart enough to know better.

[WaterRat]

So Kim, come on back! And you too Mel. It was 47 this morning. We actually saw some and 65 yesterday afternoon.

I'm feeling very sluggish. Don't know if I'm getting a cold or what. Something's going on, but until I have more definite symptoms, I'm pushing through....

Nix 143.

[Mel]

Welcome back, Nix Of course you can hang with us!

Vain enough to want to try, but smart enough to know better.

Ah. Lydia...very wise of you. I wish I had learned that lesson long before I did.

I don't know why, but hack squats are really hard for me. I can do about double my body weight for a good old fashioned squat, but stick much weight on the hack squat machine and I turn into a wimp. Nowhere near 45's! I've had to wriggle out of the machine at that weight. Very embarrassing

I did manage legs lite today, or legs quick (I'd say short, but too many people would snicker) to be more precise. There wasn't much imagination in my workout, but there was a lot of weight!

Food on track.....

Mel

[Meg]

Hack squats are the exercise I can proportionally do the most weight on. I think it's because I have a big butt.

Today was just cardio and abs, but I managed to sweat enough to short out my headphones.

[Mel]

I managed to sweat enough to short out my headphones

Zing! Hope you didn't fry your brain in the process

Lots of storms here last night, but the trees all stayed upright in my yard. The power went out once, but quickly back on. The night's real excitement started just after dh and I had fallen into bed. My son came pounding into our room screeching (he has strep throat) that his toilet was overflowing all over his bathroom. Almost 18 and he can't figure out how to turn off the water!!!! We spent the next half hour mopping, and putting buckets in the foyer UNDER his bathroom. Sigh...another major project. We'll have to rip out a lot of the ceiling, re-drywall and spackle, paint, etc. What run.

This morning I woke up and the bloat was gone. Yahoo!

Cardio done, shoulders at lunch and hopefully the gym will be less steamy.

Have a good one,
Mel

[kaw]

Mel. Uggh, what a way to wake up. If it's any consolation, my FIL still can't quite figure out how to turn off the water to the toilet either, and he's 60-something!

I'm so happy the weather broke. We were under a tornado warning for a while -- which never happens around here -- but didn't even wind up with enough rain to say so. So, I still have to water before heading to the gym here in a minute or two. But, at least the gym will only be in the 70s today!

I lost 1.5 pounds this morning by stepping off and on the scale. Who knew that the scale dance was the secret to weight loss?

Be strong,
Kim

[sportmom]

Hi guys, I am back and am a new woman! I got my stent out last Friday and still had some issues from that until about 24 hrs after on Saturday - bleeding, soreness. But luckily, most of that has passed and I'm just patiently waiting for my swelling to subside so that I'll officially be back to operating speed! I go back in 4 wks for a renal u/s, so I imagine that's how long they're estimating it will take. I'm drinking 132 oz of water a day and now that the stent is out, and I'm not even having to run to the bathroom every hour. I know they say your body eventually adjusts to drinking alot of water and I guess the stent was just like marathon training to that end.

I'm still not convinced the heat wave is over after last nite's storm. Was still awfully humid and gnat-ty at the bus stop this morning; hoping some mid-morning breezes blow it to kick the rest of the humidity out of here.

DD2 "graduated" from KG yesterday. School runs thru Friday, but they had their little singalong and ceremony yesterday. Nice time.

[jamsk8r]

Mel, sorry to hear about the water damage.

Sportmom, the K graduations are so cute..hope you got some good pics! Good luck with your recovery.

Nix, welcome! I'm sure you'll enjoy the lifting! I'm still new at this myself.

I made it to the Y yesterday. Ran 2 miles, then did 15 mins with intervals on the elliptical. Not a very exciting machine (to me), but the intervals help pass the time, and it seems like a good workout. Even though it wasn't a lifting day for me, I took along a PWO shake in a lunch box, just to see if it would survive. It stayed cold and fresh, so I'll be able to have my shake right after lifting. (that will keep me away from the vending machines, thankfully!)

Today, I'm going to try and get an equipment orientation for the free weight room and freemotion equipment, since I have no idea what a lot of that stuff is supposed to be good for. Even if I can't get that today, though, I'm determined to brave the free weight room and get my workout in. I'm going to do the NROL program for a while and see what kind of results I can get.

[Lydia227]

Originally Posted by jamsk8r

Even if I can't get that today, though, I'm determined to brave the free weight room and get my workout in.

I can't wait to hear how it turned out. Good for you! You are so much braver than I was.

Mel: ~sigh~ Just add it to the to do list right? Not a great experience to have running through your head just before bedtime I'm sure. Oh hey, thanks again for helping with the t-pushups when you were in town. I was busy plowing through the last set of them with the little 5lb dumbells in hand and I looked up and saw a friend who I haven't seen in months standing there in awe. I told her it was much easier than it looks and not to be too impressed. She doubted me and so I insisted upon sharing the "joy" She got down and did three of her own. She did them correctly and I think she surprised herself. She invited me to join her cycling group on Thursday evenings. I can't wait!

Kaw: Oh I know all about the scale dance. Actually, in my bathroom it's the magic tiles. If I set the scale just right on the tiles I can usually get a pound or pound and half less reading on the second try. I count on it some days. Kim, I love that you sign your message with Be Strong. Have you seen this?

http://www.activasports.com/act/products/BEO100/

I think I'm going to order this or maybe one of the other ones. Although, I wonder how many people would laugh me out of the gym as I walked out of the locker room with it on.

Okay, if that one doesn't get me some snickers then I'm certain this one would.

http://www.activasports.com/act/products/BYA102/

Maybe I'd wear it just to the grocery.

FRAN! I'm so GLAD to know that you are on the other side of this experience now! Here's to a speedy four weeks of recovery. Soak up some sun and enjoy those daughters as you heal. Is DD2 excited about beginning first grade this coming fall? My DS2 doesn't begin K until next fall. However this is DS1's last year at his elementary school. Gosh it just seems like a few months ago he was the young K. Darn it goes fast.

Pat: Well, did the flu/cold bug settle in? Hopefully your feeling more energized today. You just have way to much to do to be feeling sluggish.

Okay. Had a good 45 minute cardio on the elliptical. DS1 joined me for the last 15 minutes. It's so fun to have him with me during these sessions. Really. He doesn't shadow me during the lifting part but he is curious. I'm just not really ready for that yet. Besides, he's only nine. I finished up with back, chest, some tri and core work. Not overly spent but nicely humming. :

[WaterRat]

Cheryl, I find the elliptical the least offensive of cardio machines! Not that it's great.... Intervals certainly do help the time pass, as does really upbeat music.

Lydia - yes, some better. It hasn't become anything else - yet - though my eyes are still burning, which is often how my colds start. Getting some better sleep would help, I'm sure. I'm stressing a lot over an employee situation which comes out when I'm trying to sleep. grrrr.

Fran - SOOOOO glad things are better with you.

Mel - yikes! Water is the worst. When we lived in an apartment in Seattle, the family upstairs overflowed their bathtub and we had a huge mess in our bathroom. Fortunately we had 2 and even more fortunately, it was not our fault and the apt maintainence took care of the mess. Sounds like your son needs some "life skills" lessons. My DH is big on this and I have too often found myself on the receiving end. Hmmm, maybe he needs some, like "how to load the dishwasher!"

[4rabbit]

Hi LWL,

Not related to lifting but I"m so excited I just have to share this...I just ordered some new fixings for my bathroom on the internet and this will be my summer project! I'm putting in a new wahbasin & toilet and ordered those. i still have to choose shower stuff and a faucet, but I'll do that when I have a better idea about the layout of the drains.

And I plan to look at floortiles tomorrow or friday.

And I also dutifully did a NRWL session this morning, biked to work monday & yesterday and went to power class monday. I'm still hanging onto the "one more good choice per day plan", no scale changes yet sofar. But I notice I am more conscious of food choices, and I definitely noticed I have sugar cravings when I am very tired.

Kim - I have a magic bathroom tile too

Lydia the idea of a 9 year old shadowing your lifting moves makes me laugh.

Fran - glad your stone episode is over

Mel - I hope your mess is Ok now,

Have a great day all,
rabbit

[Mel]

Rabbit- I'd love to redo my bathroom! Make sure you teach your kids how to turn off a toilet!

Pat- Hope you get some sleep. Ds says he knooooows how to do it, just panicked. Not a good answer when he expects me to hand him car keys

Lydia- Glad to help and glad you passed it on Are you going to join the cycling group? That sounds fun. BTW, where did you get that wonderful lavender body shampoo? I love it! And I've used a lot already.

Kim- I have a magic tile, a scale dance, and a directions of the compass routine. Sometimes it's good for two pounds. The really depressing times are when the first reading is the lowest

Fran- Welcome back! I'm so glad you feel better

Good workout today. Shoulders from every angle and some core work.

[jamsk8r]

Well, I did it...my first lifting workout in the free weight room at the Y. Phew! I was very nervous, so I started with some smaller exercises that I felt more confident with. After that SS, I was feeling braver, so I went over and did deadlifts with an actual barbell for the first time ever. (much easier than DBs!) I'm pretty sure my form was crappy on the bottom, because I'm not quite flexible enough yet. I'll keep practicing, though. I signed up for an equipment orientation with the Y, for Monday. They said it normally does not cover the free weight room, but the gal said she would do it, since I asked. I guess I was the first one to ever ask for that...how special do I feel now?