Pump You Up: The Fitness Thread

[JustSkipIt]

Hi everyone,
I feel pretty sure that lots of Kittens are embracing a regular work-out plan. Myself, Trom, and Sally at least. I thought we could have a thread to kind of post our workouts or progess and generally encourage each other. So you can post whatever you feel comfortable posting. If you want to give a general where you are now and your goals, do that. If you just want to post every day what you did that day, do that...

For me. I consider myself a very physically active person. Even so, my weight is currently at my lifetime high (ok, it was at my lifetime high two months ago). I've been on the whole, "busy, tired from having a toddler, hard to cook healthy, blah, blah, blah..." But I finally got inspired. I'm not 100% sure what gave me the incentive but I seem to have it.

I started getting serious with my workouts around the first of November.
My basic goals: Lose about 20 pounds/get into size 12 pants comfortably (which for me means loose because I can't stand borderline tight clothes). I don't own a scale so really the clothes are the real clue. Feel better about myself.

What do I do? I have a Nordic Track and work out on it, shooting for 5-6 days a week. Weekdays I get up at 5:00 and Nordic Track 40-45 minutes. It's gotten easier since I found a magazine rack on eBay (at 250% of original cost). I also watch DVDs while on the machine. If I can, I go for a walk with the baby or the entire family instead of Nordic Tracking. Occasionally I do both in one day. This week I started the 8 Minutes in the Morning program so I do that before I do the Nordic Tracking.

My daily report for today: I did Week 1 Day 3 of 8 Minutes (triceps kicks and curls) and then 40 minutes on the Nordic Track (went 3.80 KM or miles or whatever the measurement is).
Woot!

[Emms]

What a great idea this is, Debra!

As for me....well...besides going up and down the stairs 50 times a day with either the babies or the laundry, I don't get much exercise. But I'd like to change that...maybe try a regular exercise program or something.

I think I'll start right now, by taking a walk to the mailbox

xoxo
Emms

[Lindelaure]

Thats a great topic!
Well, since I'm only out of school for a week now, I'm only starting to exercise again. I want to lose a few pounds, I'm not really sure how many yet, and I want to get a better physical preparation. I'm planning a trip to Europe so I have to be able to carry all my stuff for who knows how long.
I've been running since Sunday and it's been fun, it kinda stills the voices in my head a little, it's like I dont have to think about anything while I'm running. It's hard to explain the feeling. The next day feeling is easyer, though: pain, lots of it. But I'm gonna keep going.
And good look for us!

[FineyMcFine]

Debra, thanks for starting this thread! When I was in high school and the first part of college I exercised regularly, but it dwindled in the intervening 12 years and I'm trying now to get back into a regular exercise program. For the last year I've been sort of on-again, off again.

For the last month I've been running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings around 6:45am, about a mile. Tuesday nights I do yoga. Most days I have either a mile or a half-mile walk each way to the Metro (what we call the subway here in DC). I kept this up for November, but have had the flu this last week so I'm hoping to be able to get back into it.

Actually, there should be no hoping about it - running so early in the morning in the cold weather for the past month has taught me that Nike's slogan "Just Do It" is really elegant in its simplicity. There is not much room for hemming and hawing about exercise - either I do it or I don't, and thinking in terms of "I'm going to try" or "I hope" means I won't do it.

I also would like to lose about 20-25 pounds and feel better about myself and feel more physically fit. I've noticed how much better I feel and more energetic when I'm exercising regularly. I also heard from my doctor that my "good" cholesterol is 37 and it should be 45 or higher so she recommended I increase my exercise. (The ironic thing about that is that for the 12 years I didn't exercise regularly and ate whatever I wanted, my cholesterol was perfect - it's only when I started working out regularly that my good cholesterol dropped. Coincidence, or conspiracy?)

One big thing that exercise means for me also is my mood - in the past I've experienced depression. I'm thankfully free of it now as a clinical thing or something that I need medication for, but I'm always wary. I can slip into depressive patterns pretty easily. But when I exercise, I have much less of a tendency to do that - and my mood is also a lot more stable.

I wouldn't describe myself as a moody person when I'm exercising regularly, but when I'm not - hoo boy, look out! It really hit home when I was at work and something frustrating happened - instead of totally over-analyzing the thing and getting myself worked up into a frenzy on the inside (and ending up being disgruntled, since I internalize the irritation), I was much more able to shrug it off and put it all in perspective. That's what running in the morning does for me - I can approach the entire rest of my day with equilibrium. Running in the morning is much better for me also because I'm tired and hungry when I get home from work and there's no way I'll exercise in the evenings.

Gee, this is an exercise thread and look into what territory I veered. Perhaps I should also start the Mental Health thread.

[LtSticks]

I'm really active, I walk at least 3 miles a day, I'm planning on taking up running every day again (I do it twice a week) and I uh...get exercise in other ways too. Hee!

I tend to burn calories galore even when I don't exercise, my brain is always going a mile a minute :(

[Gatito Grande]

Kewl!

Ironically, I worked out just today (weight-lifting). I've just started the past month to lift again regularly, but I want to do it more often (the past month, it's just been once a week---would like to make it twice a week).

I also need to get more intentional w/ cardio. I like to hike, and w/ the snow, I'll soon be skiing (X-C). But when the weather's too foul (but I can't ski), I need to do something inside. I have an old stepper, but I've had trouble getting regular w/ it (I'm not sure it's working very well any more).

Ah, but for right now, I have my post-lifting endorphin-buzz: love it!

GG At this rate, though, it'll be a long time before I'm back in my mid-90s shape: I could squat my body-weight then... Out

[ambercissism]

This is great!

Well, I always have my basic exercise and stretching every morning (and sometimes at night, if I'm not that tired). And I do a lot of walking (and running after a bus or a cable car ) and climbing the stairs (to the 4th floor) 4 days a week, 2-3 times a day. But i really wish that I could put my self into a "serious work-out." I guess this thread can encourage some of the Kittens there to get serious with the work out and don't wait for the new year to come, and tell themselve that their New Year's resolution is to lose weight and work out.

Good luck to all!

[Alcy]

Awesome, exercise nuts of the Kittenboard unite!

I'm a long-distance runner, although nothing competitive...yet anyway.I'm glad marathon running is one of those sports where people peak in their thirties so I have many years to go yet!
I just did my first half marathon this year, and am working towards doing a few more halfers before I even attempt a full! That's pretty hard out and I feel tired thinking about it!

At the moment I run home from work, it's about six miles. I need to give myself a purpose for running otherwise I don't do it! So I run home and save myself a bus fare...although Sarah (other half) complains it takes too long for me to get home and tries to get me to take the bus!
In the evening I do a pretty good workout on the Swiss ball and weights which has nothing to do with the running, just toning basically.
I don't have a weight goal or anything, I just want to run and be as fit as I can. And I'd much rather exercise than diet!
Big ups to all the kittens out there who want to get out and get sweaty,,,sweat is your friend!
Cheers
Alcy

[Trom DeGrey]

Thanks for putting this out here Debra. I was feeling pretty down after I had that calf pull, this kind of bolsters my feelings toward getting moving again. In recent months I've come to understand that my weight was my way of literally covering myself up, hiding who I am and how I feel and even what I want from life in some cases. It was an excuse to not do things and take chances. I'm 5' 8". When I got married, I weighed 130lbs. Twelve years on, I at one point let my weight balloon to 250lbs. Those were real eye-popping numbers when I saw them. I don't have a scale, so I do't know where I am now, but I know my clothes fit better, so that's what I'm going by. I recently picked up a book about beginning bodybuilding. I have a personal interest in it, obviously, but we use the info here in the office too. We often have clients ask us about exercises to strengthen injured areas and even nutrition questions come our way, so the info has been very useful. There was a free report that came with it though that said Lose Maximum Weight and Gain Maximum Muscle in 30 Days. Well, I thought it was a crock of crap. Can't be done! To build muscle you need to increase calories, to lose weight you need to decrease calories. So, I'm trying this 30 day program now. I eat SIX TIMES A DAY!!!! If I'm not eating, I'm thinking about eating. My business partner laughs at me and tells me I know what hot flashes feel like now because I'm warm all the time from my metabolism working so hard. The program calls for four days of lifting and three days off. I'm doing a variety of walking/running activities on those off days. I finally got the knee brace in that I ordered for my creaky left knee and I think I won't have any calf problems because of it. I didn't realize how badly my unstable knee was throwing my gait off. I felt much better running Tuesday night. I want to play defensive tackle on the football team, so I'm working extra at strengthening my legs. I don't have a lot of weights and I'm too cheap to join a gym right now, so I'm doing LOTS of lunges. My quads are unhappy with me. It feels good to sweat though. Neither of my roomies are athletic and I really let myself fall into their mentality of I'm too heavy or I hurt too much so I can't do that. No more. It's way past time I did this for myself and get the person in the mirror a little closer to the old college athlete I can still see in my head. I get frustrated because I don't think things are changing fast enough, but I have to remember it took me 10 years to get like this.

[JustSkipIt]

Hey everyone,
What a great set of responses. To everyone who's working or working toward working out: great job!!!! A few shout-outs then I'll post my day's work:

Sally - you'll get back on track when you feel better

Alcy - half marathons and marathons. Woo hoo.

Trom - Way to go!


My day's report. I got up at 5:30 (wife didn't have to work until 6:30 so I got the extra half-hour of sleep). I did Week 1, Day 4 of Eight Minutes in the Morning (that's the only time I'll link it): Hamstring lifts and squats. Then 40 minutes on the Nordic Track (again going 3.80). Then I stretched and did crunches while playing with the baby. Then I tried to go to work, found bad traffic because we have ice on the streets, gave up, parked my car and walked home (about a mile). That's my day's progress so far. A good day.

[HalfCamel]

Hi everyone! So I haven’t been on for about two or three months, which is around the time I started working out again, and to my surprise Debra starts this wonderful thread.

I’ve always been very on and off when I workout, so I always go up and down with my weight. When I don’t workout I don’t do anything at all, which of course leads to my weight gain. But when I do workout, I try to go all out. When I exercise, my main focus is to lose my gut and maybe a few pounds.

I’m a huge tennis nut, so I play about 5 or 6 times a week for about two hours. Playing has really kept me fit for the longest time since it’s really like a full body workout. It mostly works my legs because of all the start and stop motion, but it also helps with my arms and my stamina. Then after, I come home and start lifting weights.

When I can’t go play, like all this week because it’s been cold and rainy, I do the elliptical machine for about half an hour and then I start with my weight machine. Usually I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps for different parts my upper body. I’ve also been doing lunges with 5 lb. weights in each hand. This is what I did earlier today.

Since I started I haven’t really lost any weight but I’ve lost of inches. So for those Kittens out there who don’t see the scale going down, don’t get discouraged! Just because you’re not seeing the scale spit out a smaller number doesn’t mean you’re not making any progress, which is something that took me forever to figure out.

Keep it up everyone!

Debra, watch out with that ice! My mother slipped and fell just coming out of her apartment earlier today. She was telling me that there was ice everywhere so they cancelled her work, and there were a whole bunch of accidents over by the Arboretum area, where she lives, and she stayed home all day so she wouldn’t get into any accidents and then she falls on her way out to get groceries.

Watch out with the weather,
Jackie

[Gatito Grande]

I have a scale, but I almost never use it---because it's irrelevant.

Bottom-line: muscle weighs more than fat. You know that you're getting healthier, if you're exercising and your clothes fit better (or they get too loose, and you have to go down in sizes---or possibly UP, if you've got muscle bulging out of your sleeves and pant-legs. Rare---especially if you're female-bodied---but it happens!)

I think the BMI (body-mass indicator) is irrelevant for the same reason: it's body-weight based, and (Repeat after me) "muscle weighs more than fat"

GG But muscle is also infinitely better to look at! Out

Not that I don't like a little fat on my women (in all the right places )

[Foomatic]

So I came home yesterday, intending to shrug off my nightly run in exchange for a bag of chips and a diet cherry pepsi, when I happened upon this thread. Needless to say, after reading it, I strapped on my running shoes and my iPod and was out the door. What a great and motivating thread to have!

I've been trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle for the past couple of months. I've always been kinda chunky growing up. Next year my partner and I are having our commitment ceremony and both of us agreed to try be more active and eat healthier. While she's pretty much hit her target weight, I'm still working on it. I've lost 25 lbs. and gone from a 16 to an 11 (I haven't been an 11 since middle school!), and my goal is to lose 30 more before September. It really helps that we're in it together, cause I tend to get lazy and slack on my diet, etc., but she's always there to remind me and push me. Though, sometimes she can be a real food nazi. I can't put anything in my mouth without her telling me how much fat or how many calories it has. It's funny coming from a woman who would top the night off with a bowl of ice cream covered in whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce while watching the Food Network.

Lately I've been running, which I never thought I'd enjoy. I can't get myself up to jog in the morning, so I go at night, when I come home from work. The first time I barely made it down the street, but now I'm pushing two miles. I try to go 3 times a week. Then on Saturdays I get up early for a two hour walk with my best friend, which serves two purposes: 1) exercise, and 2) quality time with my best friend who I would never ever see otherwise. Mental and physical health packed into one convenient activity. And finally, Sundays are tennis days. We've had an ongoing doubles game for the last three weeks with some people we met at the courts. Now, I suck at tennis, but slowly a higher percentage of my shots are going over the net.

I work with kids during the week, so I try to be as active with them as possible. They love being chased and chasing me around the park. Who needs a gym when you've got a line of 4 year olds waiting for you to bench press them? Not to mention the occasional piggy back, 15 kid dog pile, and shoulder rides. Not only is it a free work out, but I'm getting paid to do it.

Anyways, thanks for staring the thread Debra! Seriously, it is a wonderful motivator. I swear, this board has everything!

[gabbles]

Excellent motivating thread!

Well, I've just finished my hectic final year of highschool, and thanks to the high stress levels of this year, and the fact that I didn't have time/energy for excercise, I gained some weight. Not much or anything, my clothes still fit (though were tighter then I like 'em), but I wasn't feeling comfy.

So, I stopped my emotional binges:D My weight dropped to fairly normal just from that. Then, a few days after my last week of school, I was walking up my stairs and realised how damn unfit I am.

SOOOO hence me, instead of piking out and catching the bus, walking into town and to work (at my Mum's cafe) each day, and a lot of the days, I walk home again. I live near the beach, so can take the 40-50 minute walk around the Board Walk into town (EXCELLENT views), and walk the 30 minute walk home again via the roads.

Would love to take up Aerobics or something more active (or running-but I die halfway down my street when I try that...shame) but am poor so can't take the classes, and I hate doing things like that on my own.

Since I've been walking everyday, my energy levels are up, my mood is better, and it's a GREAT distraction from waiting for my exams results!

And, along with my 'getting off my butt' plan, I am eating MUCH more healthier (am vegetarian, so must watch I don't fall into eating crappy food and nothing else) and am feeling pretty damn good.


*hugz*
~gabs

[JustSkipIt]

Jackie – Wow, tennis 5-6 times a week and weight lifting too? We’ve got some serious exercisers here including: a serious tennis player, a potential marathoner, and an aspiring football player. Yay us. Yay kittens. You’re totally right about the inches/weight thing. That’s a big part of why I don’t own as scale. I know that my pants are getting looser and this week I fit comfortably into the 14s I own so I know I’m making progress.

Re: ice. I mostly walked in the road where the ice was melted rather than on the sidewalk which was totally frozen. Since it was residential, there was little traffic. The Arboretum? Here (in Austin)? Hope she feels better.

GG – You’re absolutely right about the muscle/fat. It’s also true that muscle burns more energy than fat even when you’re resting. I think that it’s also more flexible although people think fat is more flexible because they’re thinking fat is soft and muscle is hard. I totally agree with you about BMI!

Foomatic – Wow a commitment ceremony I such a great reason to get in shape and it’s so exciting that your partner and you are doing it together. 16 to 11 is fantastic. I never have liked running but I agree with you about how great walking is for social meetings. I used to have a friend who would come out and we would walk together but now she lives at one end of town and I’m at the other. Also, she has a 1 month old so she’s “kinda busy.” But when we can, my partner and I take the baby & dogs and walk. Our favorite is to hike so we’re in nature and so that the dogs can run off leash. It’s much more interesting and you can really go farther without noticing.

Lol about kids. They did a study where they video taped toddlers, then broke their movements down and asked world-class athletes to mimic the activity and the athletes couldn’t keep up. While playing with Asher, I do crunches or stretch or even balancing movements.

Gabbles – Yay for your walking. That’s such an excellent way to focus your activity. When I used to ride the bus, any day that the bus was running early, I would get off at the first stop and walk to the office. The drivers thought I was crazy. But now I’m driving to work so that’s kind of out. I was thinking this week that it’s time to start doing the stairs exclusively at work rather than the elevators (I’m on the 4th floor). Yes, activity is great for the energy levels and for your emotions. Yay for you.

Daily Update – So last night the baby decided that it was time to get up and play at 2:00 am. Luckily for me Rachel did most of the middle of the night stuff since she didn’t have to work today and I do. Nonetheless, I lost a few hours of sleep. So when the alarm went off at 5:30 (so I could work out and then her at 6:30), I turned it off. Woke up at 7:00 thinking that the day was a loss but I’d at least do the 8 Minutes. So I went and did the 8 Minutes which was calf raises and these hamstring kick up things. Neither was that hard but after the other leg stuff this week, I’m feeling wonderfully sore and tight. Love that feeling.

Then I sat down to check e-mail and read this thread and felt so inspired that I got on the Nordic Track after all. Did 42 minutes for 4.20 distance. That’s a pretty good clip for me and I felt great about it. Woo hoo!

[russ]

What a great idea, Debra; thanks for starting this. And kudos to you for getting going on your own program. I remember how hard it is to find the time and energy to work out with a little one. It's inspiring reading about the various activities everyone's doing.

I used to be a "weights five days a week" type, but advancing years and various joint problems made some changes necessary. Two years ago I tore a knee cartilage right before Christmas, which led to weeks of physio. I still do those exercises once a week, and agree with Trom that you can get really sore quads from lunges, wall squats, etc. It was discovering yoga that really made a difference for me. Once I realized you can do yoga without tying yourself into a pretzel, I quickly became hooked on it. Now it's five mornings a week, and I've gained in strength, balance, posture, flexibility, not to mention the mental and spiritual benefits (which I wasn't looking for, but they happened anyway). Combined with weights twice a week, the physio exercises, and walking and gardening keeps me in pretty good shape. "Use it or lose it" gains a whole new meaning once you hit your 50's. Still have problems with seasonal weight gain, as weather and short days curtails outdoor time and food temptations increase. Doing a bit better at keeping it under control this year, though.

Russ

[Lindelaure]

Wow, you people exercise a lot! There was a time, back when I was a careless sophmore in High School that I played volleyball, tennis and soccer. A few broken bones later all I do now is run.
The other day I was going to skip my running time to sit around and do nothing and then I came here to read how everyone is doing with their exercise goals and I just had to go running. This is very motivating!
I think I'm gonna get back to swimming. What I hate about swimming is that I get lonely and I can't listen to music while I'm doing it. But it will help me get fit so I can handle it.
Congratulations everyone! Let's keep it up!

[Trom DeGrey]

Well, I've not had a good weekend. Been feeling a bit under the weather, so not only have I not exercised, I've been eating like crap. I started keeping a food diary to track my caloric, protein, carbohydrate and fat intake at the beginning of the month. I was floored to realize I would have to take in 3,564 calories a day to maintain my starting weight. That's a shitload of food!!!! If I go too much below it though, my body goes into starvation mode and keeps everything I eat as fat. Since Thursday night when I started feeling ill, I've taken in less than 1600 calories everyday. In fact, I only took in about 700 on Friday! Not, not good! I'm being much more conscious about taking in enough calories today (Sunday) and have vowed to exercise tonight no matter what. Whatever bug I've got, I'll sweat it out tonight.

I've realized this weekend how I've gotten this heavy though, other than psychological reasons. When I was feeling sick and was lazy this weekend, I would eat whatever was fastest to fix. Reheat pizza. A sandwich from Tim Hortons. Chicken from KFC. Guess what? Commercially processed and prepared foods are full of crap!!! That sandwich I ate had 400 colories in it alone. And the amount of fat in the KFC chicken scared the hell out of me! I was able to take in 3 or 4k calories a day and get this heavy because I was lazy! It takes a little time to prepare good food for yourself and we just don't always give ourselves that time. The food diary has really opened my eyes and I would recommend keeping one if only for a week or two just to get a good look at what you're taking in.

In reading russ' post, I was reminded of something I've learned in working with injured athletes and giving seminars at fitness clubs. The most common muscle injuries are a result of one or a combination of these three things: lack of strength, lack of flexibility or lack of overall conditioning. What does that mean? It means take the time to warm up and stretch thoroughly as well as cool down and stretch again. Incorporate weight training in with your cardio (and if you do both in the same day, the lifting should come first. Your muscles need more carbs and protein during an anaerobic exercise than they do in an aerobic exercise.) And consider adding yoga or pilates to your weekly routine. Addressing all three of those issues: strength, flexibility and overall conditioning, will certainly save you a pulled hamstring (or pulled calf ) and could very well save you from something worse.

WooHoo for sweaty Kittens!!!!!

[russ]

Trom said:

It takes a little time to prepare good food for yourself and we just don't always give ourselves that time.

That really hits the nail on the head. No matter how much or how well we exercise, if we don't at the same time eat properly, we're not going to be healthy. The epidemic of obesity and its attendant ills that we suffer in North America can be traced directly to this factor. (This from the guy who made shortbreads last night, and ate more than one or two of them.)

A member of my family became overweight through bad university eating habits. In the last year she has lost 50 lb. through: making smart food choices, doing the "Eight minutes in the morning" program that Debra uses, and walking. Nothing drastic, no expensive health club or fad diet. It can be done with patience and persistence.

I don't worry too much about loss of appetite when not feeling well. It's just the body's way of saying it doesn't need much food right now. Listening to what the body needs is something we need to do more of.

Now, time to go unroll the mat.

Russ

[LtSticks]

I'm wondering if I should take up competitive running again, I used to compete in cross country and I kinda miss it, though not sure if I should go for cross country again or track running instead. Any advice? I used to win medals for it when I ran for the Army Cadet team (which really pushed us hard to get over 10k, damn me not being a part of the junior team for all my competitions, waaa) so I know within a couple months I can get up to Army standard again in terms of fitness, I just can't decide which style of running to take up again.

[HalfCamel]

Debra – Yup, the Arboretum there in Austin. In fact, I’m probably going to go up for a couple of weeks as soon as I’m done with finals. I have this craving for the Chocolate Tuxedo Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, so that’s probably gonna be one of the first things I do.

Trom – A couple of years ago I was taking a nutrition course and I needed to keep a food diary for about a week. All I remember was that I was soooo frustrated having to measure and count and add up all the stuff I ate. Sometimes I realized how much I was taking in when I was measuring that I ended up not eating as much as I usually did. It was all a bad experience for me.

Russ – When I started at the university I gained a lot of weight, a little more than freshman 15. I remember the cafeteria offering a lot of delicious, a.k.a greasy and fatting and fried, food and a very limited amount of healthy stuff. That plus being away from home and having to manage everything on my own and getting use to a new life didn’t help with my eating habits.

I’m not a big fan of any kind of diets and even if I try I can’t stick to it. My best friend is obsessed with the no carbs diet (I don’t know what it’s called). I don’t really agree with that, or with diets in general, because I think if you don’t do it right then you might miss out on some nutritional stuff. Plus, you need carbs. I think if you just watch what you eat and how much you eat and you get enough exercise you’ll do fine. Like they say, “Everything in moderation.”

When we were growing up my mother always had us eating healthy, which meant hardly any fast food, candies, junk food, and cokes. She wasn’t a food-nazi by any means, but still she would watch what she ate (which spilled over to me), and she always had us doing some sort of fun physical activities. My point (and I do have one) is that if my mother wouldn’t have pushed the healthy eating and exercise, which I still somewhat follow to this day, I don’t think my health would be what it is now, I’d probably be worse off.

Anyways, today I did my lunges, and my weight lifting, and the elliptical machine for about 20 minutes. But I’m not feeling as good as I usually do and I want to eat everything in the fridge. I think it’s the stress from my upcoming finals tomorrow.

Jackie

[JustSkipIt]

Hi everyone,
Lots of great comments. I really like that we're all sharing our thoughts on diet and stretching etc. To me the thing about diet is that people seem to get stuck on one thing. Right now it's low carb as Jackie mentioned. To me if you're following a diet that has engendered a line of fiber products, you might want to see that as an issue. I mean we know what's good for us (balance, fruits, vegies, whole grains) and what's not so much (ice cream, fried foods, etc.) so we can try to balance that. I also think that frequently the culprit is time as Russ (among others) pointed out. I do pretty well at dinner but frequently end up eating lunch out because I will have not packed a lunch. Luckily I'm within walking distance (less than a mile) from a Chipotle (where you can eat relatively healthy) and a good sandwich shop.

I've let my flexibility go quite a bit and just getting started working on it again. Basically, when I'm playing with Asher, I sit and stretch. Boy does that make a difference. Even though I don't really like Yoga much (too performance shy), I started doing some of the balance poses while playing with him about a year ago. I've always had very bad balance but I can't even say how much it has improved.

I didn't do my workout this weekend. Took Saturday off entirely, short walk Sunday, and all I did Monday was help take down the tables and chairs at a big holiday luncheon. But back on track (Nordic Track) today. Did my 8 minutes and then 40 minutes (3.85 km) on the Nordic Track today.

Have a great day.

[gabbles]

Hey all! Go all the excercising kittens!

Well, have been keeping up with my walking, fitting in about 40-60 mins a day. My diet has gone blechy, but today am blaming that on two years olds birthday...her mum is the BEST cook. She did melting moments, choc crackles, cakes....mmm, I was in Sugar Heaven. But I figure, to hell with it, it tasted good and I did and hour long walk this arvo.

Lol. So, that's my little update. Added to that racing after sugar hyped 2-5 years olds, and tonnes of babysitting

*hugz*
~Gabs

[JustSkipIt]

Hey Gabs,
Read this today:

If you are going to have the cake, have it with both hands - go in there, roll around in it, love that cake. I can't tell you how many people will drag that cake issue so it ruins the next day.

I had cake Monday at the holiday party and started out thinking, "why did I do this? I don't even really like cake." But you know what? The cake was good. Period.

Just saw an article about a website called first30days.com. It looks pretty cool and inspirational.

Daily: I just finished my 40 minutes on the Nordic Track at 3.87. I skipped 8 minutes because I was running late and the exercises looked lame. I'm about to do my crunches now.

Have a great day.

[FineyMcFine]

After missing yoga for the last two weeks due to flu, I went last night and it was spectacular. I really like this class - it's called "Yoga for People With Special Conditions and Injuries." I had back surgery in February (a herniated disc) and so September was the first time I felt like I could enroll in a yoga class.

This yoga class has been really great - what we do mostly seems to be stretches, variations on poses, etc. I always feel so much better when I'm leaving yoga. The next class doesn't start until January 10 so during the next month I'm going to do some of the exercises on my own.

Also, after I finished physical therapy for the back surgery in April/May, I'm supposed to be doing daily stomach crunches. Well, I did them daily for a while but have slacked off, so I'm committing to doing them daily for the remainder of December.

It's bitterly cold here in the DC area right now so I totally have not gone running for two weeks. I'm going to switch to using our stationary bike three times a week that's in our basement. It's a recumbent bike, the kind where you sit down and stretch your legs out in front of you instead of down and there's back support, which is great for me.

Yay exercise!

[Trom DeGrey]

Happy dance with me, people!!!! I just posted in the happy feelings thread, but I wanted to post it here too.

I need new jeans.

They actually fall off me now, buttoned and zipped and everything. I don't wear jeans very often, but I did to go out with some friends Monday night and ended up borrowing a belt. The belt kept my pants up, but I looked pretty dumpy in them. I just grinned the whole night.

In other news, I'm not a fan of the fad diets myself and don't even completely buy into the "Everything in Moderation" spiel either. Found this interesting article on CNN last week. The professor that said he sometimes eats mint chocolate chip ice cream for dinner gave me the biggest chuckle. The way I'm viewing things now is that I'm not on a diet, I'm permanently changing the way I eat and the way I look at food. I'm certainly not depriving myself of anything though! Christmas cookie? Why, yes! Thank you! Birthday cake? Yes, please, and don't forget a scoop of ice cream with that. I'm just making better overall choices now and becoming more aware of what I'm eating and, most important in my case, why I'm eating it.

Have fallen off the exercise wagon a bit this week again. Busy, busy in the office and a little laziness on my part. Eyes are still on the prize though and I've asked for weights for my birthday. I'll post a pic once I make the football team.

[HalfCamel]

I haven't done my exercise routine in a few days and I think it's the weather. I've just been feeling really lethargic and sleepy.

Does anyone have any suggestions for exercises focusing on trunk strengthening?

[Gatito Grande]

Yesterday, I went cross-country skiing for the first time this season: Yay! (only about a mile or so---but it was my first time out this year, and I was breaking trail half the time: the first loop).

Love it!

GG Pssst! Don't tell anyone, but I always ski in the cornfield across the street from my apartment (this is smalltown Michigan): I'm trespassing! (Hence, I always ski at night---which starts pretty darn early this time of the year) Out

[FineyMcFine]

I went running today after 2 1/2 weeks off and I'm SO PSYCHED. I could tell that I hadn't run for 19 days - I was much slower and it was harder, especially on the uphill parts. I went for probably just under or just about a mile, and I had been up to a mile and little bit more before I got the flu and the weather was crappy. Even though it was harder than it was when I left off I did get a bit of the endorphin rush going on and it got easier at the end - probably because I end on a downhill/flat area.

There are two reasons I like running - it's fast, and the results are pretty quick. Fast - I am running about a mile now and it takes me about 15 minutes including the warmup and stretching afterward, so all in all not too much time out of my day. Second, the results - after running for 3 1/2 weeks I was noticing major changes in my body shape, energy level, and the way my clothes fit.

So since I prefer to run in the mornings I'm going to keep it up whenever it's not snowy or icy outside this winter. We also have a stationary bike so on the terrible-weather mornings I'm going to do that. I'm thinking about doing at least 20 minutes of exercise per day every day.

It was really nice running and being proud of myself for doing it and then thinking about posting in this thread. So thanks Debra for starting the thread!

[JustSkipIt]

Trom – Wow, that’s so great. I think I do a lot of what you’re saying as far as “yes, thank you for the cookie” especially this week with so many snacks at the office every day. But I do feel somewhat guilty. Usually I try to make myself a deal that if I didn’t work out, no treat but if I did, enjoy. My figuring: 500 calories approximately burned on the NT takes care of the cookie or whatever it is.

Jackie – Trunk strengthening? Hmmm. I feel pretty sure that there are probably some good Yoga poses (Sally and Russ?) for trunk strengthening. Also, something as simple as sitting on an exercise ball when you’re on the computer or watching TV can do a lot. While sitting on it, occasionally lift your feet and you will use your central muscles to keep yourself balanced. I have a friend who can balance on it on her knees and she said that Anjaka (sp) Sorenstam (sp) – a female golfer – can stand on the ball and swing a golf club. Now that’s balance. Anyone else have good suggestions?

Gatito Grande – Oh how exciting you delinquent! I Nordic Track but I have no idea how similar to cross-country skiing it really is. I mean if I strapped on some skiis (I’d have to leave Texas first so I don’t appear crazy), how would I do? Of course, I hate the cold so maybe not so well.

Sally – Yay for running. I’m glad that you’re getting back to your workouts after being sick. You’re of course welcome for starting the thread and I know how great you are at keeping your resolutions. Well done.


Well, I had a pretty not-so-great week workout wise. I didn’t do anything Thursday /Friday (except walk to and from lunch) because I was just feeling exhausted. Part of me wants to believe that it’s important to listen to my body and just rest when I’m so tired but the other part of me wants to go go go. Of course I guess I should console myself that I’m now at the point that I look at a 3-workout week as slacking. There have been times when I would have patted myself on the back so maybe I’ll do that.

Today’s update – Did the 8 minutes program which was overhead presses & kickouts today. Then did 40 minutes on the Nordic Track (3.97 so a little faster). It all felt great!

Thanks to everyone who is posting or reading.