90 replies to this topic

[tyedyedee]

i want you guys to help keep me honest and hard at work on my mission to get as healthy as i can before vibes (and beyond, of course)

i wont list numbers and shit cuz well, ugh

suffice to say that in my 20s i was over 400 pounds at one point
since then i have yo-yo'd up and down but my familial propensity is to be between 200-250 (unacceptable)

i am 5"9 and large-framed so i carry my weight well, but my joints and sciatica are so annoying when i am in that range so i want out of it, dammit!

i have been eating well (not dieting cuz diets dont work, just making healthier choices) and getting outside on my bike and walking
but thats not enough to lose the fat
i joined a local gym and utilized the training they offer
i have a personal trainer once a week and i keep a food log and the workouts i do where i dont have 1:1 training are mapped out for me and they change weekly to ensure muscle confusion so i dont have plateaus...

i am only 2 weeks in and i am already 6 pounds down

i did core work and focused on abs 2 days ago and MAN, the exercises i did were so damn effective! they isolated EXACTLY where i wanted (all 4 quadrants of the abs) - but perhaps too well - it HURT to roll over in bed the last two nights

its a good pain though

ok, operation "hot by vibes" is ON

[mamapajama]

good luck Dee

I struggle myself and am in awe of everything you have put in place.

[NJFunk]

Good job on the food log. The only way to diet is to understand exactly what you are eating. Dieting works ONLY when you eat less than you burn. Fad diets only work because they use tricks to get you to eat less than you burn without you understanding what you are doing. If you set a target and actually count your calories, then you know where you are, where you need to be, and what you need to cut to get there. Set a reasonable goal (somewhere between 1800-2000 cals/day is probably a good starting place but everyone's goal depends on their metabolism and activity level and such). Try to get at least 100g of protein per day in your diet, exercise (preferably incorporating some sort of weight lifting or resistance training) at least 3 times a week, and make sure your average calories per day over the course of the week is at your target (in other words, don't EVER deny yourself a splurge, but just understand that if you do you need to log it and make up for it...). This is not a fad diet and there is nothing that you are "not allowed" to eat. This is understanding what you take in and what you have to do to stay on target if you want to eat something decadent. I've lost 25lbs since January just by setting a daily target and keeping a food diary. I weigh less now than when I graduated college 18 years ago. It works, but you have to view it as a part of your lifestyle and not just a "diet".

[fire_rocket]

Go Dee!! You're on a great path to hotness. Keep up the great work.

[tyedyedee]

thanks mamapj

you have to view it as a part of your lifestyle and not just a "diet".

thats why i say 'i am not on a diet' when people ask
cuz i aint!
i just think more before i eat and question my motivations (i am an admitted HUGE comfort eater...food = love )

Go Dee!! You're on a great path to hotness. Keep up the great work.

i thought i was already hot...


just did my ab workout at home
one requires a person to just stand there pretty much so i asked my mom
"mom, can i lay with my head between your feet and will you grab my ankles when i throw my legs up in the air and push them down again?"
she was like huh?

edited to add: when your legs are lowering, you cant let them touch the floor...this exercise is so much harder than it sounds

its a killer exercise that targets the lower abs and it KILLED me last time
it hurt to turn over in bed for two days

then i did the other two sets of exercises that target the upper and side areas
pretty much concentrating on core stuff right now, trying to get stronger

rest of the week is gonna be lower body weights or arms, my abs need a break for a few days

picked up my new gel seat for my bike
wish i knew more mountain bikers around here as i want to do some trail riding but am uneasy about doing it alone...

i ride my mtn bike on the road too
i get a better workout cuz i use the knobby tires on the road
i dont mind it at all and they are more durable with all the glass and metal and crap on the road from people treating the earth like their trashcan

i am really tired today
is it nap time yet?

[NJFunk]

just did my ab workout at home
one requires a person to just stand there pretty much so i asked my mom
"mom, can i lay with my head between your feet and will you grab my ankles when i throw my legs up in the air and push them down again?"
she was like huh?

edited to add: when your legs are lowering, you cant let them touch the floor...this exercise is so much harder than it sounds

its a killer exercise that targets the lower abs and it KILLED me last time
it hurt to turn over in bed for two days

DRAGON FLAGS!!!!! Where is HalfSituation?!? He needs to see this. Eventually, you should be able to do this by yourself with a bench. That's hard core. Hard core.

http://www.unique-bo...ragon-flag.html

[halfstar]

lulz @ halfsituation.

Good work, dee.

[Erinisme]

go dee go!

I hate that ab excercise! my step instructor makes us end with that sometimes. I find myself hating the person who is pushing my legs...like really getting a personal vendetta against them

May I suggest watching your sugar intake...not just sweets but the amount of sugar in everythign, salad dressings, marinades, ketchup, ect. I had to cut it all out and I"ve lost 6 lbs...with out really trying.

I also find making sure I eat enough veggies is really important. I have fallen in love with roasted cauliflower

Flaxseed oil will help rid your body of 'bad fat'

Engaging your core muscles when doing well everything is important too...You'll be amazed at what it'll do to your posture The best way to make your abs hurt less is to stretch them well...if you ahve apilates ball lay over it. they are sore becuase they are contracting due to the work out.

And hooping is a great ab work out (but that I'm sure you already know)

I'm so glad you are making life style changes and not dieting. I am on a special 'diet' right now due to a health issue, but I don't consider it a 'diet'. I just have to be very careful that I don't eat sugars.

Also your body digests fruits best on an empty stomach in the mornign. So maybe try incoporating some berries and whatnot in the morning. They will give you energy and lots of vitamins and stuff

I'm excited so many people are making the switch to be healthy It's really helping to motivate me to be healthy as well:clapping:

[sarah b.]

awesome, dee! feel free to hop into beefcaxland (the ripped by summer thread). Apparently halfstar gives good pep talks and stuff.

[tyedyedee]

i get overwhelmed reading what other folks are doing, makes me feel that my efforts are a joke or sumthin insecure like that

just woke up to pee and omg, i am so sore
worked my upper body and abs yesterday and owie...it targeted the areas i wanted very well

today will have to be legs before work

anyway, back to bed for a few then up to gym it up:Phishfolk:

my trainer wants me to, as a rule, take a day off between weight training and just do cardio, but i wont be at the gym monday cuz i have plans so i am doing today and sunday instead
my exercise monday is gonna be rocking the hell out to sublime
and walking all over boston

havent gotten on the scale yet cuz i was so traumatized by the BMI and initial weigh-in
kinda just waiting to feel better
soon, i hope
(all this pain better be for something! )

[Erinisme]

that pain is making you stronger, working on muscle memory...remember muscle burns more calories than fat so th more muscle you build the more calories you burn just by sitting around!

[NJFunk]

Your efforts are not a joke at all. How many hundreds of regular posters are there in this community and there are what? 5 or 6 of us that post regularly in here? That puts you in the top 1% already. You gotta start somewhere, and if you keep it up (especially with the food logs...), you'll hit your goals. You just have to stay dedicated to your health.

[georgi]

Woo hoo Dee! You can do it!

[sarah b.]

Martial arts philosophy is something that inspires me. For example:

Nanakorobi-yaoki: Seven Falls, Eight Rises [Seven Times Down, Eight Times Up; seven falls, eight rises]
This is one of Lones Sensei’s favorite sayings. This Japanese proverb refers to succeeding
due to an undaunted spirit. In Japan, the Daruma doll is weighted so that when pushed or
knocked over it will immediately return to an upright position. It is considered lucky, as it
is symbolic of this type of spirit, which precludes failure.
Its corollary is: Saru mo ki kana ochiiru, or “even monkeys fall out of trees.”
This is one of your Hanshi Meiyo Kyoju’s favorite aphorisms.
It is not an excuse to fail, but the realization that all of us at some time “fall down.”
What we must do is pick ourselves up and continue, learning from our mistakes. “Nanakorobi-yaoki.”

from: http://www.midoriyam...Corner 0909.pdf

[tyedyedee]

daruma
i like it, bee

thanks guys
some shit going down at work that has me really stressed and feeling a bit on the hopeless side of life lately so having some positive vibes here helps on more than just the fitness front

[Sunshower]

Awesome, Dee! I am VERY proud of you!

P.S. You will ALWAYS be beautiful to me!

[china cat]

you can do it, dee.

don't focus on weight, focus on health and well-being

i'm really proud of you. everything will start to change for you... it already has.

you have always had a place in my heart.

keep us posted on your progress.

[china cat]

daruma
i like it, bee

thanks guys
some shit going down at work that has me really stressed and feeling a bit on the hopeless side of life lately so having some positive vibes here helps on more than just the fitness front

words from a friend. i have posted them before and i'll post them again

"Something that I always try to practice is the realization that how we greet
today will color the returns of this day. Further, expectations will be
manifest, which means we have the personal power to determine the course our
minds take and thus our actions will take. It's both awesome and thrilling to
understand that we are each responsible for our affairs. Moreover, we will
handle them with ease *or* we will experience turmoil (as is our habit as
humans). What we perceive at any moment is equal to our vision of that moment.

If we want laughter, greater freedom, further attainments.....as well you know
they lie within our power....they can't elude us unless we let them. But first
we must define our direction for movement and then coach our steps along the
way.

Misery is an option available to us every day, over any situation. We can
linger, befriending despair. It is also possible to take life's rough currents
in stride, responding to them sanely, thoughtfully, trustingly. The rough
times, we can see in retrospect, teach us the most.

Crises become too familiar to some of us. They push us into overdrive and an
elation accompanies them, an elation born from the energy inherent in the
crisis. However, this same energy is inherent in calm, sensible responses to
life if we'd learn to cultivate it. Crises ultimately burn us out, while
measured, balanced responses to turmoil rekindle belief in ourselves, and our
ability to handle the gravest conditions. Dwelling in crises allows us to
avoid forward movement. However, if we want to grow and find the real
happiness we deserve, we must move ahead to the challenges that promise us our
due.

You see, there is love, happiness, and great life beyond this dark and dismal
moment in your life. You have that power of choice. It's what you choose for
each new day is what will greet you. If you choose peace and really want that,
then peace you will be granted, it's in your power."

[china cat]

Cultivating The Seed Within
Peace

In our noisy world, we often find ourselves longing for peace and searching to
find it somewhere else. While it’s true that there are places we can visit
where we can experience peace, such as sacred sites or buildings, we do not
need to wait until we get to one of these places to feel at peace. Instead, we
can learn to locate the seed of peace inside ourselves and cultivate it so
that it grows into a reliable source of serenity that we can always access, no
matter where we are.

We experience peace when we are in a state of mental calm and serenity. It
might surprise you to notice how infrequently you allow yourself to be free
from anxiety. Realizing this is the first step to inner peace. If you wait
until all the details of your life are taken care of to allow yourself to
experience peace, you will never feel peaceful because there is always
something that your mind can grab onto to create anxiety. It is important to
consciously set aside your worries and make time to cultivate inner peace.

Ideally, you could schedule time each day to meditate on peace and experience
what it feels like to be calm and serene. It takes practice to learn how to
let go of your worries, so give yourself some time. Inhale deeply, and feel
your worries dissolve with every exhale. Remind yourself that soon enough you
will be able to take care of everything you need to, but right now you are
taking a break. As the clutter of your thoughts and concerns clear away, you
will start to feel more serene. Allow yourself to move deeper into this state
with each inhale. Realize that you have the power to free yourself from
anxiety simply by deciding to do so. The more you practice feeling peaceful,
the easier it will be for you to feel at peace.

[tyedyedee]

thanks china
its a work situation that has me feeling really out of control and a little hopeless so those words help

but today? no gym, just FUN! i get to hang with friends all day in boston, see hubble 3d and sublime!

[fire_rocket]

i thought i was already hot...

Of course you are. I should have said you're on your path to even further heightened hotness.

[deadheadskier]

excellent work

keep it up. the key and hardest part is consistency and making fitness part of your life routine. This coming from someone who never has in their adult life until the last six months. Just gotta do it

[tyedyedee]

yup
no gym yesterday
walked about 4 miles all over boston then danced through an entire sublime show
i can feel it today!
had semi-healthy cambodian food but looooots of booze (owie today )

trainer tomorrow before work
no days off anytime soon
want to go for a bike ride again soon...

[Sunshower]

Dee, you ROCK!

[Spiderweb]

This thread makes me

[sarah b.]

[tyedyedee]

i am feeling good
but i made the mistake of just jumping on the scale
its been almost a month and nothing
i know muscle weighs more than fat and all that but i see other folks who start working out and the weight initially starts dripping off of them
i am kinda frustrated
i am eating smart (not perfect but a LOT better than i have been!)
i am working out in the gym 3 times a week, outside the gym, 2-3 times a week


i wont give up but i am mighty frustrated

[Spiderweb]

i am feeling good
but i made the mistake of just jumping on the scale
its been almost a month and nothing
i know muscle weighs more than fat and all that but i see other folks who start working out and the weight initially starts dripping off of them
i am kinda frustrated
i am eating smart (not perfect but a LOT better than i have been!)
i am working out in the gym 3 times a week, outside the gym, 2-3 times a week


i wont give up but i am mighty frustrated

Dee, are you seeing/feeling a difference? Don't become discouraged? Back away from the scale.

[tyedyedee]

yes, i am wicked sore ALL the time

yes, i see a small difference
some tightening due to muscles, i am sure

i just need to hear one person say they see a difference or at least some evidence on the scale
thats all
just some reinforcement of the positive kind
*sigh*

ok, off to work now

having a nice greek salad with grilled chicken on it for supper

[sarah b.]

dee, you look mahvelous!

[Erinisme]

dee it's perfectly normal to not loose anything when you first start a work out routine. Your body is not sure what is going on so it holds on to the weight...esp if you change your fat intake...you're body thinks it's gonna starve.

Keep it up.

Get a tape measure and measure your waist. You'll see the inches come off.

Trust me I know how fustrating it can be.

I try to remind myself that weight loss is a nice side effect of getting healthier. So even if you don't lose weight your heart is so much healthier

[tyedyedee]

god, today sucked

[Erinisme]

i'm sorry dee...

[NJFunk]

i am feeling good
but i made the mistake of just jumping on the scale
its been almost a month and nothing
i know muscle weighs more than fat and all that but i see other folks who start working out and the weight initially starts dripping off of them
i am kinda frustrated
i am eating smart (not perfect but a LOT better than i have been!)
i am working out in the gym 3 times a week, outside the gym, 2-3 times a week


i wont give up but i am mighty frustrated

Are you still logging your calories and setting a daily calorie goal? If you're not explicitly calculating calories, you might be taking in more than you think without realzing it, even if you are eating "healthier" foods. If you are explicitly calculating your calories and you're not losing, then you have to lower your target by a couple hundred and see what happens.

[tyedyedee]

i am and i am well within the range my trainer set as being correct for me to become a "fat burning machine" as is our aim together
her only input is that i am not eating ENOUGH:rolleyes:
(as in times a day, not amount)

ugh
i am kinda bummed but trudging on
just got home from the gym
again
*sigh*

onward
::walks by scale::

[TEO]

Tyedyedee, congratulations!

OMG, Dee you are already beautiful, and to think you are
working on being more fit and healthy is going to make you
sparkle and shine even more brightly. We are all going to
need shades to even cast a glance in your direction.

Something I was told by several in varying health fields, and
didn't fully believe until I saw it's effects, is that stress can cause
us to retain weight and fluids. Being under lots of stress could be
contributing to the stubborness of the scale. Don't let it deter or
bum you. Rather think of those other peas having to ask you to slow down.

Much love and yee-haws!

[tyedyedee]

thank you, my friend

and the stress thing is sooooooo true, i am sure
the stress in my life lately is beyond control and i am trying everything to get it under control...still a work in progress though...one crisis at a time

think of those other peas having to ask you to slow down.

hell yeah! they better watch out!

[seany]

Keep it up, Dee! Very proud of you

[sarah b.]

think of those other peas having to ask you to slow down.

I can picture "wimpy," now. "Wait up, Dee!"

[tyedyedee]

I can picture "wimpy," now. "Wait up, Dee!"

at one point last year tom remarked that i was slightly "energizer bunny-ish" at one point late on sat night
well, this year he better eat his wheaties

tony is already geared to be unstoppable...he has lost like 50 pounds and works out like an animal...we may need to dart gun him to tranquilize his ass so he gets some sleep ((((go-Bear))))

[deadheadskier]

just gotta keep at it.

I know some say don't worry about the number on the scale. I disagree. Don't worry about that number in comparison to others, but do worry about it in comparison to yourself.

I joined the gym on November 1st. The first 3 months I was somewhat erratic in my attendance, but managed to lose 5 pounds. February through March I went more often, but didn't really lose any, though I felt like I was. My guess is I was just replacing fat weight, with muscle weight. The past two months I've lost another 6, but I've been allocating more time to cardio than weights. I still think 14 pounds lighter is the right weight for me. Heck most charts say I should be nearly 30 pounds lighter, but I don't pay attention to things like BMI.

So, it might take another 7 months to lose that weight at the rate I'm going. 13 months to lose 25 pounds. It's a long time, but I think slow and steady is the more sustainable way to reach a goal and stay at it. As much as the number on the scale doesn't mean everything, I've read and believe it is true that most fit people check their weight several times a week.

YOU CAN DO IT!!

[china cat]

how are you doin, lady

[tyedyedee]

still going

still feeling really ineffective
probably just the pressure i have on myself
i really just wanted to look at least a bit different by mtn jam - or at least vibes

but yeah, still truckin along
trying to eat as good as i can

i go to the gym 2-3 a week (once with my trainer, others alone) and walk/bike 2-3 times a week as well as my active-never sit down ever job...*sigh*

2 or 3 years ago even the smallest change in my lifestyle made the weight drip off of me
i dont know if its the stress i have now, but i am getting so damn discouraged
(but not enough to give up - too stubborn for that )

i figure the beer i will drink at mtn jam will be offset by all the mtn sides i climb up and down and the ing i will be doing
right?

my skin has been a lot better! i have noticed that!

[tyedyedee]

i feel comfy whining here cuz i know not a lot of folks read it

did uppers/shoulders/arms yesterday
woke up "normal" sore today but my elbow is not "normal"

its not swollen or anything but it KILLS

i did some research and i keep coming back to "tennis elbow"
some sort of strain
my trainer pushes me pretty hard and i sure dont discourage her from doing so, but perhaps i pushed too hard this week?

i am trying to not favor it
using it as much as i can
but it is realllly sore and i cant carry much weight at all without pain

should i favor it and let it rest?

i would go ask my dr but its 30 bux to walk in the door and i know one of two things will happen
she will either send me for tests which i then have to pay out of pocket for 20% of
or she will take my 30 bux and tell me to rest it and take otc meds

so i am gonna lean on you guys instead



owwwwwwwwww

going to try and take some tylenol and motrin (tylenol for inflammation, motrin for pain)
just had my smoothie so i can take some meds
yummy smoothie! peaches, strawberries, nonfat greek yogurt, lots of blueberries and some nonfat milk and protein powder
relief would be nice
its my day off and of course i had some physical stuff planned that i am not able to attack as planned

i scheduled next weeks training to be two days before mtn jam
should i take next week off and just work out on my own instead?

[seany]

Dee - my elbow get's inflamed every now and then. On top of the Tylenol + Motrin, make sure you're getting plenty of water and add Ca + Mg supplements to you diet. Having sufficient calcium and magnesium in your system really makes a difference. I've also taken the osteobiflex/glucosamine supplements from time to time and they have made a difference for joint pain if you take it consistently for a few weeks (which I'll do and then go back to not taking once I feel better ).

I'd probably take off before Mtn Jam. No sense in inflaming things before that weekend.

Keep it up and good luck!

[NJFunk]

Forget the doctor, tennis elbow is easy to diagnose and treat yourself. Put the affected arm straight out with the palm down and elbow facing out. There is a big bone that sticks out on the outside of the elbow. Between this bone and the elbow end of your forearm muscle on top of your arm there is an indentation in the side of your elbow. In this indentation, there is another bone. Press on this bone in the indentation. If you have tennis elbow, it will be very tender and painful to press on this bone. If you bend your arm, this same bone becomes a bony nub of the top of your elbow. In either postion, pressing on this bone will be very tender. Next, put some small but moderately heavy object (like 5 lbs maybe) on a table. With your palm facing down and knuckles up, reach down and pick up the object on the table and try to lift it straight up. If you have tennis elbow, this will be exremely painful (or impossible if it is really bad). If you have these two symptoms, you have TE for sure.

TE is not a strain, it's inflammation or a repetitive stress injury. You need to rest and ice it until the pain subsides (usually a week or two unless you have it really bad), and then do wrist curls with 5-10 lb weights and/or get a device called a Thera Band Flexbar to strengthen your forearm muscles to prevent it from coming back. Wrist curls should be done both with the palm up and the palm down.

Similar to TE is "golfer's elbow" which is an inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the elbow instead of the outside. To diagnose GE, hold your arm out with the palm UP (instead of down) and press on the bone on the inside of the elbow. If that is tender, you have GE, not TE.

[Erinisme]

I'm not sure about elbows, but I have to say that nancykind told me about the joys of alfalfa and the wonders it does for the joints...I've been taking it every morning and my knees and hips haven't hurt in forever.

I have to say that I've seen the biggest change in my body since I've started doing yoga...my arms are more defined in spots I have never had definition, my legs are holy cow strong (I was doing pilates last night and touched my hams...holy hamstrings.

I haven't really worked out besides yoga...so if you are not getting the results you want maybe try some yoga...almost all on demand cable companies have some

I am so happy you are keeping it up even with out seeing the results you wanna see.

I have also seen pounds FALL off by giving up all sugar...it's hard, and tough, but it is greatly helping! 12 lbs in less than 2 months by doing nothing but giving up sugar...

[tyedyedee]

well, i did the diagnostic tests you described above and neither one was positive
i am sure i just pulled something
still pretty sore even after meds

erin, did you give up fruit too?
smoothies consisting of no fat greek yogurt, protein powder and assorted frozen no-sugar-added fruit are often a meal replacement for me

yoga for me is a logistical issue
i have a small 13 inch tv in my room and there is NO room for yoga
there is no area large enough for a tv (even if i could afford one )
so i would have to pay for classes and with the extra i am paying for training/gym, i literally do not have the cash for it

really frustrated
keep trying to do the right things...

will keep trying

[Erinisme]

I had to for medical reasons so yes I gave up fruit...but I'm sure if you are using fresh fruit it would be okay.

I was amazed to find out how much sugar is in EVERYTHIGN I mean some PB has over 10 grams of sugar when santa cruz has 1gram!!!! holy moly!

Hmmm....how about maybe looking for yoga on cds? That way you could do it in the living room with no tv....or look into free/community classes at the studios near you.
Many studios that do teacher training have a 'pay what you want class' in order for the teacher trainers to get their hours. I know by me I have found free/donation based yoga 7 days a week...I also realize I live in a pretty urban area, which is why it is so easy to find.

Keep up the good work Dee! You will start to see a difference

[NJFunk]

Well, that's good because TE sucks.

My wife eats the same kind of smoothie for breakfast at least 3 or 4 days per week. 1 Cup skim milk, 1/4 Cup Oikos Vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/2 frozen banana (which we freeze when they start turning brown), 6 frozen strawberries, 3 ice cubes, and a scoop of chocolate whey protein. That works out to 300 calories and 35g protein.