Sunluver! I promise I'll post more in the AM but I had to say to my (almost) twin! Guess what? I started at 257 pounds and am hypothyroid too. Wow -- what a coincedence! Too bad I'm not still 35. I have some answers for you but right now have to take care of a sick kidlet and take my weary legs to bed (they lunged for 1/3 mile today -- I'll tell Ilene all the gory details tomorrow -- she luvs that stuff).
Hi everyone. Day’s almost over, and I think my body wants to come down with a cold, but I just don’t have the time to have a cold. So I’m loaded with vitamin C and Echinacea and lots and lots of water, and I determined I WILL NOT HAVE A COLD. But I will keep this short, so I can snuggle under my down comforter.
First, Sunlover, welcome. There’s no question of wishing you luck. You don’t need luck. What you need – and what you will find here – is loads of support, plus lots of tips, suggestions, recommendations and good advice. Oh yes, and giggles. I’m glad you’re here.
Ledom, you and I must be using the same playbook. I signed up for a semester-long Pilates class, and I can hardly wait for it to start. Once a week, on Tuesdays, at the gym across the street from my office. And two of my writer-gal pals signed up, too. (Truth to tell, they’re the ones who told me about it.) I think it will be great fun. I hope to get my first weight workout in at the gym at the end of the week. And I’m really looking forward to that as well.
You said something else that hit home: “Last semester I think I was just worn out, too many off days from exercise and too many nibbles and tastes. Anyway, thank god for a new year, some new energy, and some great ideas to keep it all together.” I read somewhere that Condi Rice rarely misses a workout. She figures that it’s the only thing that keeps her sane. I figure if the National Security Advisor to the President of these Uuuuuuuunited States can get her workouts in, then so can I. And there is SUCH a quantum difference between the days I exercise, and the days I don’t that I can’t even begin to think why I would want to skip a session. So, here’s to a great semester, for both of us!
Whoa, Dip. Hold it there, girl. Did you notice your stats when you typed them? “I am down to 28%(188#) from 32% at 208#. At 248, I was 41%BF. Total inches lost is 40.25.” May I have a round of applause from the peanut gallery please! Better days are coming my friend.
Ilene, I’ll meet you on the track. I had to cut my cardio short this morning so I could go sign up for that Pilates class. But I can hear the pants o meter warming up.
Niffer, I don’t think we’ve met. Howdy do. And hi to JC and Colleen. Tidey, I too, have cut back on what I put in shakes. Oh, don’t get me wrong … I love ‘em with additives, but my calorie count doesn’t
Meg, you’ll always be 35. I wish I could borrow your legs for a while. Hope your boy gets better soon.
Happy Tuesday morning, gang! Another cold January morning here and DH seems to be getting sick along with DS. I’m taking Robin’s attitude — just refuse to get sick! Mind over matter, right, Robin? Actually I'm very lucky because it’s a rare day that I get sick. But it looks like I might have two big babies on my hands for today.
Yesterday was Leg Day and I think I wrote about the Great Lunge Challenge last week before the Crash (one of the trainers at the gym and I are in a weekly lunge challenge to see who can lunge the most/furthest). We use our indoor track, which is 18 laps to the mile. Yesterday the gauntlet was thrown down of four laps with dumbbells (he uses 25s, I use 15s), drop the weights and then two laps with hands on hips. I did it and oh boy, can I feel it today! When I got home, I realized that I had lunged a third of a mile (there WAS the occasional stop for three deep breaths before continuing!). Wonder what next week’s Challenge will be?
After lunging, the legs weren’t working properly so I did some leg press and a lot of lower weight, high rep squats. I’m going to head out into the cold for cardio when the gym opens and wonder how functional my legs will be today . Something new on the gym schedule for today — my lifting buddy read about a new four-day split in a muscle mag (Muscle and Fitness?) and he’s all gung-ho to try it, so we’re going to give it a whirl. I think he said it’s four workouts, every body part twice a week, 45 minutes each session, very fast, hardly any rest.
Sunluver — as promised, I’m back. Thank you for sharing your honest and touching story. I think a lot of us see ourselves in much of what you said. About the hypothyroidism — you may have read that it will slow down your weight loss. Certainly enough people try to use their thyroids as an excuse for why they’re not losing (oh, it’s my metabolism! Not all those calories that I eat!) My experience was that so long as my TSH levels test in the normal range, I have no trouble losing (I actually lost my weight pretty fast -- 122 pounds in less than a year). So don’t worry that your hypothyroidism will be a barrier to successful weight loss. As to supplements, I’ve heard we need to avoid soy because it lowers thyroid function. CLA is supposed to be good to help us lose and I’ve been taking it all along. I can't tell you if it helped but I’m going to keep taking it since there also seems to be research that shows that it helps prevent the dread middle-aged fat gain around the middle.
About the sweating — I’m not much of a sweater myself, but I sweated a lot more when I was heavy and out of shape. As I lost weight and got more fit, I sweat less. But strenuous exercise (like the lunges) still can make me drip! I think JC’s advice is right on.
Ilene — proud of you for sticking with the cardio, chickie!
Colleen — we missed ya! Keep in touch and let us know what you’re up to.
Niffer — and what have you been doing since we last heard from you? Anything new in your life? Tell us about this new job!
Tidey — way cool on the cruise! I’ve always thought that they looked wonderful, but alas, I’ll never be a sailor (discovered that I get horrible seasickness on our honeymoon when we took the QE2 from NY to London).
And Dip —- here’s a little for your gray day. You’ve come a long, long way baby, as they say — down to 28% BF. I remember getting into the 20s myself— it’s like entering the land of “normal”, isn’t it? Like when you can buy regular-size clothes for the first time? Now you’re about at the weight where the journey started to get Very Interesting for me — where my mental picture of myself had to undergo a lot of adjusting. When I was over 200 pounds, I just saw myself as “fat ’’ — different degrees of fat, but always fat. As I got down into those normal clothes sizes and body fat % and weight, it was a huge adjustment to change my self-image from being fat to being “normal” or “average” (and I still catch myself in the old "fat girl" thinking).
But I also can remember a very powerful feeling that came over me (again, right about where you are now): I am NEVER going back. Failure is NOT an option. I had come too far and had tasted the fruit of how good it could be and was determined never to let that go. Believe me, that flame still burns in me every day and gets me through the tough spots: I will NEVER go back!
And with that, I'm off to do cardio! Have an awesome day, ladies!
Just back from doing shoulders and cardio... I'm getting better at it every time... Just a question to the seasonned cardio gals, do you do cardio even on LEG DAY? Leg day for me is tomorrow Meg, for a change of scene I've been going to the gym in the afternoon after 12:30 when I finish work and there's not too much of a crowd... The great thing about this is that I can stay at the gym for 2 hours and nothing is rushing me to get back home except hunger! .... So let me know...
Food hasn't been stellar, so I have to get back on track with that...
Ilene -- I do cardio every day, even on Leg Day, but most people don't, I've learned. Cardio every day became a habit for me when I was losing and now it's part of my routine. I usually split cardio and lifting, doing cardio first thing in the AM and working out in the afternoon or early evening. So there's quite a few hours between cardio and legs, giving them a chance to recover. I wouldn't recommend cardio right before legs and it's darn hard right afterwards
I HAVE done cardio and legs on the same day in the past, but for me it's more of a time thing - I tend to spend a lot more time and sets doing legs and I only have a limited amount of time in the AM...otherwise I'd do legs first, then hop on the elliptical for a bit (you're right, it is tough but I keep it moderate).
Meg, your comments about the thyroid touched home. I TRIED to blame mine for inability to lose fat, oh DID I ever! I got three rounds of tests over a year because I WAS SO SURE it was my thyroid's fault and NOT mine, and mine alone. I created every symptom you could possibly have w/both hypo and hyperthyroidism..never was sure which one I wanted to have!
But facts is facts. My thyroid, no matter how many tests, no matter how much I wanted to believe the 'net' experts, is working perfectly. Any issues I had w/my weight came directly from what I was putting in my mouth and what I was doing, exercise-wise, to offset what I was eating. It was a matter of me owning up, throwing away the delusions and living in reality, plus finally accepting responsibility for my body.
I read a lot around these days, in magazines, on the web, and on message boards, this same type of thing, people spending a fortune in order to locate a physical malady for their weight problems and to me that's sad. Not only is it delusional, and little more than continuing ot make excuses, but it decreases the severity of the REAL folks who have whatever disease or medical issue that the healthy folks WANT to have. Why would anyone WANT to have a condition? Why continue to look for excuses? Why not be THRILLED that one is healthy and that one can has the power to change?
Thank you ladies for letting me rant. I wish you good health today and good lifting! And if its ok w/you, I hope to post here more!
About the sweating — I’m not much of a sweater myself...
Okay I WAS on my way out to the gym but I couldn't resist pointing out that I'm GLAD you're not one of MY sweaters Meg - they have very little personality and all the arms have pills and cat hair on them!
(hey it's still early here in Cali...)
More later - gotta hit the elliptical before everyone else gets there...
Mindi! So good to see you around these parts again! Your post came at EXACTLY the right time because I was thinking about just what you wrote when I was doing cardio this AM — the EXCUSES that people have for not losing weight. The excuses are driving me nuts! I meet a lot of people who get all excited when they hear how much weight I’ve lost and ask me how, wanting to hear the name of a Magic Diet Plan. Their eyes glaze over when they hear what I did/do, and I start getting (drum roll) The Excuses. So here’s MY rant, to follow-up on your rant:
You can want to lose weight. You can dream about it, fantasize about it, post about it, talk about it, write about it, research it etc etc. But you have to get off your butt and DO it for it to happen! Good intentions won’t get you anywhere. Losing weight is hard, sweaty work. There aren’t any shortcuts, though plenty of people will try to sell you their own “EZ quick painless weight-loss solution”.
If you want it, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
And just about everyone has an excuse. Mindi hit on a big one — it’s my metabolism, it’s my thyroid. The oldest excuse in the book. Of course I’m not saying it’s not legit — heck, I’m hypothyroid, but I lost the weight regardless. Then there’s the no time issue. Too old. Bad knee. Hate cardio. You guys can name a hundred other excuses. And then there's the truly bizarre pantheon of medical excuses that are littered all over the Internet. Honest to God, the Internet’s been the biggest boon ever for the hypochondriacs of the world. Man, if you want an excuse for not losing weight, you don’t have to look far to find it. Plus you can find all sorts of dysfunctional support for your delusions.
I want to grab these people by the shoulders and shake them and say: Just do it! Eat less! Move more! Forget the excuses, take responsibility for what you put in your mouth. It’s just like Mindi says:
Quote:
Any issues I had w/my weight came directly from what I was putting in my mouth and what I was doing, exercise-wise, to offset what I was eating. It was a matter of me owning up, throwing away the delusions and living in reality, plus finally accepting responsibility for my body.
If you want it, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
I do believe my morning endorphin rush is kicking in already - yippee! Boy, did I miss that!
I dragged my butt out of bed this morning, around 6:20, and did make it to the gym by 7. Only 10 minutes late to my office today, so I'm getting better. Hopefully tomorrow I can make it in by 6:45, since my UBWO takes the longest of any of them.
Having some wonderful cramps today - yuck! I feel like a bloated whale! (although a smaller version than usual!)
Foodwise, it's not too much of a challenge for me to get back on track, with the exception of a bag of pistachios I bought last weekend. Instead of meal 6 last night, I had pistachios! That has got to stop!
I made a pot of beef stew this week, and it wasn't until after it was made that I realized that all the veggies were of high glycemic index - potatoes, peas and carrots. So, I've decided I'll only eat it for dinner - if I had any at lunch it would really knock me out in the middle of the day. I'll finish this pot, but probably won't make it again, unless I can figure out a way to get a "green" veggie in there, and much more meat.
I also made a shrimp dish Sunday, but I'm a bit disappointed in it - too bland, despite having feta cheese and greek olives in it. I won't be making it again. I'd been looking forward to the tuna casserole recipe from the EFL cookbook, but someone on another list said they didn't like it. Maybe I can jazz it up a bit!
Ok, got to get to work - talk to you later! Everyone have a great day!
Cindy
Hi everyone hope you are all having a great week. I started the week out not-too-bad...lets just say I did a great upper body workout yesterday but that was it. My eating could have been...let's just say...cleaner. I ended up sleeping on the couch after work for 2 hours and then getting up and going to bed for like 8 hours until today so it goes to show me what eating bad will make me feel like. So today I was back to the gym doing cardio and abs and it felt good and I am back on track for the week. I keep thinking I only have 3 weeks to take photos and measure since I like to do that every 4 weeks to see my progress. I really want to see a little difference so I will keep it going. I think I am getting addicted to this site, I like to come here and tell of how I am doing and read how others are doing too. It is nice to know I am not alone in this. The first time I did the BFL my ex-boyfriend was doing it with me so it was easier to be able to talk to someone. So since doing again this time it is all of you who make it easier for me to go on....so a big thank you for that.
Welcome to sunlover....where abouts in canada are you from? Me I am in New Brunswick. So hi there....eh!
Talk to you all later have a good week.
"Ultimately you have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself" ~Oprah
to my (almost) twin! Guess what? I started at 257 pounds and am hypothyroid too. Wow -- what a coincedence! 
Too bad I'm not still 35. 
I have some answers for you but right now have to take care of a sick kidlet and take my weary legs to bed (they lunged for 1/3 mile today -- I'll tell Ilene all the gory details tomorrow -- she luvs that stuff).
Better days are coming my friend. 
. Something new on the gym schedule for today — my lifting buddy read about a new four-day split in a muscle mag (Muscle and Fitness?) and he’s all gung-ho to try it, so we’re going to give it a whirl. I think he said it’s four workouts, every body part twice a week, 45 minutes each session, very fast, hardly any rest.
I think a lot of us see ourselves in much of what you said. About the hypothyroidism — you may have read that it will slow down your weight loss. Certainly enough people try to use their thyroids as an excuse for why they’re not losing (oh, it’s my metabolism! Not all those calories that I eat!) My experience was that so long as my TSH levels test in the normal range, I have no trouble losing (I actually lost my weight pretty fast -- 122 pounds in less than a year). So don’t worry that your hypothyroidism will be a barrier to successful weight loss. As to supplements, I’ve heard we need to avoid soy because it lowers thyroid function. CLA is supposed to be good to help us lose and I’ve been taking it all along. I can't tell you if it helped but I’m going to keep taking it since there also seems to be research that shows that it helps prevent the dread middle-aged fat gain around the middle.
for your gray day. You’ve come a long, long way baby, as they say — down to 28% BF. I remember getting into the 20s myself— it’s like entering the land of “normal”, isn’t it? Like when you can buy regular-size clothes for the first time? Now you’re about at the weight where the journey started to get Very Interesting for me — where my mental picture of myself had to undergo a lot of adjusting. When I was over 200 pounds, I just saw myself as “fat ’’ — different degrees of fat, but always fat. As I got down into those normal clothes sizes and body fat % and weight, it was a huge adjustment to change my self-image from being fat to being “normal” or “average” (and I still catch myself in the old "fat girl" thinking). 
.... So let me know...
...
Hello LWL!
