August 2022 - Let’s Do This!
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@zenobia9777, hope your family drama has passed. Congrats on the NSV's, toned arms are a great asset to overall health, as is the balance your gaining from the yoga. Keep up the great work.
I also love Irish Cream (and Amaretto), @k8richer you're so right though, calories galore!
@GlobalKeto congratulations on the new house! We just bought one at the end of November. Between the work to fix it up and the moving of boxes and furniture, we definitely got a workout every day for a couple of months.
For triceps, I do tricep overhead extensions or tricep kickbacks, both with dumbbells. Now that you have stairs, you can do tricep dips
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@GlobalKeto congrats on the house!
As far as arms/triceps, I do a couple "fly" variations, couple variations on rows, skull crushers, cable pull down (straight arm and tricep isolating), sometimes some dips, but those can aggravate my shoulder sometimes do I don't do many of them. Not all are tricep specific, but a lot of them engage them.
Back to my 5x/week workouts now that I'm mostly remote again (some days of lighter workouts are allowed though as needed). Probably going to suck the first couple weeks again though since I haven't been lifting much for the past 2.5 months....ugh, no great excuses, but time was tight and motivation wasn't great, but could have fit more in than I did.2 -
@congrats on the house @GlobalKeto! Everyone has great suggestions. I find skullcrushers work best for my triceps. If you google, I recall that one should try to hit the three different muscles that make up the triceps - Hope I’m not remembering that wrong!
Didn’t make my 10k step goal. Gosh - heat, heat, go away! Zapping most of my energy.
@zenobia9777 isn’t it a great feeling to see results!!💪💪💪1 -
Moving and cleaning houses (and gardens) are serious workouts, especially when it involves stairs and heavy boxes/furniture so enjoy that NEAT burn!
My arm exercises are same as others have noted. I also try to do lots of pushups and planks. You can't just work your triceps - gotta have your arms, chest and shoulders in balance! Try moving ladder planks - get up in a straight arm plank, move your hands close together under your face and then start walking your hands as far up / away as they can go and then walk them back as far down under your body as they can go without falling. See how many spots you can put your hands (criss-cross, around in a wide circle). Such a great shoulder / triceps workout! Guaranteed to blast arm flab!
Has anyone actually taken "before" photos and measurements? Have you shared these out to the MFP universe (or elsewhere) and did you find it motivating? I am fit but could be fitter, especially my upper body and I'm considering committing to a real strength building regime. Given my weight is within the normal range I know I won't see victories on the scale and I would love some motivating victories like looking better in photos. Anyone have experiences to share with me on this idea?1 -
Hello, @GlobalKeto !
Congratulations on your new house. That is definitely a good workout!!!
I don't know which of the exercises work the best, but these are the ones that they have us do at circuit training:
Arnold press
Bicep curls
Planks
What do you call it when you use an exercise bench and lift a weight straight up from the ground? That one would be good. We also use weights with lunges and I am sure they help
I walked the dogs about a mile. I have stayed exactly the same weight for 10 days so I have achieved maintenance. I actually would like to lose a little more weight.
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Has anyone actually taken "before" photos and measurements? Have you shared these out to the MFP universe (or elsewhere) and did you find it motivating? I am fit but could be fitter, especially my upper body and I'm considering committing to a real strength building regime. Given my weight is within the normal range I know I won't see victories on the scale and I would love some motivating victories like looking better in photos. Anyone have experiences to share with me on this idea?
Yes! I'm a big proponent of this. Pictures I find are best spaced out - day to day you're not going to notice a difference, even weekly there won't be much, but at least monthly can be great comparisons. Measurements (something I need to start again, probably will do that today) are FANTASTIC if the scale is hard to judge off of (which, if you're changing/adding workouts, lifting, etc it can be so fickle!). I like to measure weekly. Last time I was doing it regularly I measured: Chest x3 (above boobs, over boobs, under boobs), natural waist, belly button waist, widest part of my hips, widest part of my upper thigh (both sides), just above knees, calves widest part (both sides).
While most of those I wanted to go down, a few I wanted to go UP, and if you're already low on body fat, then it can be great to see the gains in the areas even if the scale is stagnant. For me, my weight is all in my mid section, but I want my muscles to grow, so calves, knees, just above my boobs were numbers that could go up. You could always add an arm measurement or two in there too, but for me, those are pretty easy to see the changes.
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Today's stats:
5'7", 44 years old
Starting Weight 1/3/22: 155.8
GW: ~128-132ish
2/23/22: 150
3/30/22: 147
4/22: Missed
5/31/22: 149.4
6/29/22: 152.4
7/27/22:150.6
8/4/22: 150.0
8/10/22: 150.6 - uptick, but totally expected with starting the workouts again. I'll start measuring again this week and will tally that up going forward as well (at least in my desired "loss" areas)2 -
Has anyone else out there been thinking about the importance of good posture? I caught a glimpse of myself in profile a few weeks ago and there was a slight but disturbing hint of "dowager's hump." We really have to watch ourselves; between computers, phones and e-readers, we're all at risk. I signed up for a four week posture improvement workshop yesterday and had to scold myself when I got up from my desk two minutes later and shuffled off head down and shoulders slumped. Yeesh, lady; you just spent good money on a posture workshop -- how about getting your nose out of your navel for free.3
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mandycat_florida wrote: »Has anyone else out there been thinking about the importance of good posture? I caught a glimpse of myself in profile a few weeks ago and there was a slight but disturbing hint of "dowager's hump." We really have to watch ourselves; between computers, phones and e-readers, we're all at risk. I signed up for a four week posture improvement workshop yesterday and had to scold myself when I got up from my desk two minutes later and shuffled off head down and shoulders slumped. Yeesh, lady; you just spent good money on a posture workshop -- how about getting your nose out of your navel for free.
Good form weight lifting I think does a TON to help prevent this as it forces you to engage the proper muscle groups and support yourself properly. Good form being the key though. I would think you'd really have to lift heavy-for-you to get the best benefits though as that's when you're really going to train that form IMO.
I also sit on a large exercise ball rather than a chair at my desk....while I can't say that I never find myself slumping, it's a lot harder to do on this than in a chair! Plus I can sit here and do little balance exercises which engage my core and work on balance all while sitting at my desk. It's uncomfortable to slouch for long on the ball, so there is a "natural" reminder to sit up properly, unlike sitting in a chair. Plus, as someone with ADHD, the ball lets me bounce around and fidget without being as distracting for others as it is when I'm in a chair LOL.1 -
@mandycat_florida welcome!
I agree that weight lifting is great for posture improvement. It's also a big focus in yoga.
I've been playing with my Fitbit and it did measure my heart rate today. I did not get above 145 but I felt like that was pretty high when I was doing the boat pose!!
I never got into the peak zone and it's supposed to be adjusting for my age and weight.
So I actually burned more calories walking the dogs then going to yoga, according to the Fitbit. 1 hour of yoga and 42 minutes of walking dogs at a very slow pace. Go figure
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Another stressful day but managed to work out and stay under calories. Took measurements today - like you @zenobia9777 - I’m maintaining - and it’s getting difficult to get my head in the game! Measurements - 34 - 26.5 - 38. My waist and hips are probably two inches wider than they were last year. 😡. I didn’t measure more but probably should - thighs, neck, arms??
How often do these change? I’ll continue to weigh daily.1 -
@CeeBeeSlim I measured for years, just started again as between adding back in my workouts and just where I want to go with my fitness, the scale is going to be pretty fickle.
I measure the following areas on my body - bear in mind, most of my weight loads up on my abdomen, and a tiny bit at the top of my thighs.
Above boobs; over boobs; under boobs (bra line); natural waist; belly button; butt (most protruding spot from a side view); hips (widest spot from a front view); upper thigh (both - at the widest spot); above knees; widest part of calves.
Most of the measurements from over the boobs down to my upper thighs I want to see going down (bra line hit or miss), the others I would actually like to see go up on my body with how it stores fat - or doesn't. Boobs also volunteer as tribute for me (grrrr), hence that measurement.
Neck, arms - while there's some fat there as I don't look ripped, it's not enough to worry about measuring it, I just don't store much fat in those areas, so just muscle visibility (arms) is all I'd be eventually looking for there.
I measure weekly, and you can definitely get measurable differences that often - I measure down to 1/8 of an inch.0 -
I do not measure very much. but I literally felt my waist was thinner after circuit training today!
I agree..you can see the difference in a week or two...but for me, only if I am using weights.
I reached my peak heart rate today. I had to back off a bit...
Forgot to start the workout, but the Fitbit logged it.
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The first column is the yoga work out and the second column is the circuit training. I have no idea how accurate the Fitbit products are, but it does 'sort of' measure your heart rate. I was more conscious of it being high during yoga than during the circuit training..
."What Is a Fat-Burning Heart Rate? Chart" https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_a_fat-burning_heart_rate/article.htm1 -
Hello! So much activity and new members! This is an active group! Just dropping in to say hello. Same old here. TBH doing great with diet and exercise. But someone please tell my scale that…it clearly has not caught up.
@CeeBeeSlim I had to reread one of your posts when you mentioned a G cup - I honestly did not know what you meant….then I figured it out! Haha…my alphabet does not go beyond B….😂
@HoneyBadger302 how often do you do your measurements? You said weekly? Do you do measurements and also weigh yourself? I have never used measurements consistently.
Hope everyone having a nice weekend! And as always, that’s for the support! We are all in this thing together! Can’t wait for summer to end….bring on fall!!0 -
I second that,@litstuesday.
It seems hard to believe we're only mid-August.
My daughter wanted a cake for her birthday so I ate very poorly yesterday since I was testing the cake (!). t did not really eat until dinner time. But I did well in yoga today. It's not my knees that hurt sometimes --- it's my calves. Maybe they just aren't strong enough
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49yrs 5'3"
CW 131lbs
GW 125lbs
Aug 5 - 131lbs
Aug 14 - 130.5
I'm barely making progress here but that's ok!
I did take photos of my body (first time ever!). Some parts (like my legs, biceps) make me think - hey pretty nice and toned for a middle aged lady! Other parts (my butt, shoulders) are ugh. I guess that's the point of 'before' pics. Anyway, I also went to measure myself but am wondering - do you photograph/measure with your muscles flexed or not flexed? And your tummy sucked in or not? When I stand tall with my tummy in, I kinda have nice looking abs. When I don't suck it in, I look like a mom who has had 3 kids....LOL.
Today is my 18 yr wedding anniversary. We are pretty chill about these events - will probably go to a movie or simple dinner this evening. Just need to keep the food moderate and yet celebratory! Luckily my husband is mostly on the same page as me when it comes to food choices.
Happy Sunday all!0 -
A few horrific days. Suicide of family member (young father of 1 and 1 on way). Out of nowhere - so I was doing some self-hating - wondering why I was fixated on tummy-pudge with all going on - so last few days I grossly overate and was a LOWER WEIGHT than when I was “good?!” I can’t even figure that one out!
Not completely out of the funk so will give myself today - road trip tomorrow - and will do my best to be back in game on Tuesday!
@litstuesday - Thanks for the chuckle! I don’t even recall every being a “B” cup. 😀. And my niece!
k8richer - Happy Anniversary! Congrats on 18 years! Enjoy! Slow progress here, too.
@zenobia9777 - I had to “test” a few things too. Key lime pie, apple pie, Swiss bacon burgers, mint chocolate chip ice cream. 😬😬😬
@HoneyBadger302 - Thanks for the details on the measurements! Will take more.
Off to watch HGTV marathon - that usually makes me feel better! Chat soon!0 -
Oh my @CeeBeeSlim I am so sorry. That’s horrible. What a shock. Im sending you lots of love and positive vibes. Please be kind to yourself. And by that you know how good it feels to take care of yourself. You are a rockstar, be as good to yourself as you are to others. Good luck with the next few days! And thank goodness for HGTV!! A fave of mine too!! 😘0
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Oh @CeeBeeSlim there are no words for this. I am sorry to hear of your family's loss and shock. You will be processing this for a long while - be kind to yourself but also stay strong. Someone once told me, in the midst of a tragedy, that the best thing you can do for you and all around you is stick to your routine. Don't fall apart but find strength in sticking to your normal, healthy routine. Easier said than done, I know! Hugs to you and your family!! (And a HGTV binge is always OK!!)0
