Exercise and Weight Loss Challenges
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Oh Marney, I'm sorry I teased you about counting hours of exercise while riding in the cart. 1300! Wow! Maybe I'll take up golf so I can have more potatoes, lol.0
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Sept 5th-168. 3.5lb loss
Sept 12th-167. 1 lb loss
Sept 18-166. 1 lb loss
Sept 27-166 0lbs lost
Oct 3-165 1 lb loss
Oct 10-164 1lb loss
Oct 17-165 1lb gain
Oct 24-166 1 lb gain
Oct 31-162 4 lb loss
Nov 7th-162.5 .5 gain
Nov 14th-167.5 5lb gain0 -
Glad to see you are back in the game Mary. A five pound bump up is frustrating but it will come off quickly I am sure with your exercise and determination.0
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Started this challenge at 172
Sept 5th 171 - 1 lb lost
Sept 12th 169.5 - 1½ lb lost
Sept 19th 168.5 - 1 lb lost
Sept 28th 168.5
Oct. 4th 167.5 - 1 lb lost
Oct. 10th 167 - .5 lost
Oct. 17th 167
Oct. 24th 166 - 1 lb lost
Oct. 31st 164.5 - 1.5 lb lost
Nov 7th 166 - 1.5 gain
Nov 14th 165 - 1 lb lost
Or so says the scale in the exercise centre!
(I threw out the sugary cookies!)0 -
Hi Guys,
Start--207
Sept. 5--205.6
Sept 12--203
Sept 19--202.8
Sept 26--200.9
Oct. 3rd--199.2
Oct. 10th-198
Oct. 17th-198.3
Oct. 24th-198
Oct. 31st--194.6
Nov. 6th -192.6
Nov. 14th-191.9
Looks like I've lost 15.1. Hey! I made my 15!!!! I'm hoping to get to 20 lost or better by January 1. I've really been struggling a bit this week. Not feeling as in charge of my food and as clear about my goals for the future as I have been. Craving winter food, feeling cold and miserable in general. Feeling better today, the cold snap is over for now and it's a sunny day. Buying my step meter today.
Marney: good for you throwing away the cookies despite your discovery about calories burned with a gold swing! Good for you for the loss!
Mary: hang in there! Marney's right that the bumps up are all part of the journey. "You only fail if you do not try" love that. We will take the number we get on January 1. And know we will be better off than when we started. So many seniors are just letting themselves get fatter and fatter and that's not us!! I'm so proud of us! We are working on it, making gradual progress.0 -
Great job Gayle. You have your 15, onwards to 20! And you are almost into a new decade too. Proud of you. Don't let the weather get to you. I know I was whining about the weather earlier in the month and you had lots of ideas. Gazelles and step counters here we come. Or put on some music and dance. I remember my mum always insisted on 20 minutes a day outside, even in winter to lift spirits and get fresh air. It did work most of the time. We can do this! Challenges are simply that, challenges to overcome.
And Mary and I are still trucking along. Not stopping is a success in this effort.0 -
Do you guys know how important you are to my progress? Super Important! I think that supportive companions on this journey towards improved health is making the difference for me. I've lost and gained those 10 or 20 pounds on weight watchers and lots of other plans. This time I'm going to make it all the way to goal, I just know it, can see it--because of you keeping me accountable. Thanks, I am so grateful!0
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Right back at you!
I was on the road today for 8 hours but I am under my calorie count with no exercise but good food. Yeah!0 -
Good for you Marney!!0
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Gayle-you are doing fantastic!!Already lost your 15 lbs plus some.Awesome.You are such a inspiration.
Marney-thank you for helping me get back on track.you're right,we all have our ups and downs.And to be honest I haven't been trying as hard as I should.It's so easy to get lazy and get back into old habits.
Mary0 -
yeah us! All back on track. Onwards through the holiday period. We can conquer the challenges.
We have friends with us for holidays this week and it is harder because there is more wine.
But .... I was on the eliptical this morning and then out in the rain golfing again. Outlet Mall shopping tomorrow so back to the fitness centre in the morning.
I hope you are all having a good week.0 -
Hang in there guys! I'm dinking around in the 190's but hopefully will get into the 180's next week sometime. Right now the Thanksgiving plan is to do a 1/2 calorie day on Wednesday and then eat whatever is on my plate at the "Thanksgiving Feast" at Mimi's Cafe on Thursday. It is just my son and I and he doesn't like Turkey or mashed or gravy or dressing, can you believe it? So makes sense to go out. They do a pretty good meal. Not sure about the Friday weigh in then but hey, only once a year, right?0
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Good planning, Gayle, and yes, life is to be enjoyed. We know that one day of splurge does not ruin a plan. It is only once a year and it is only one day. Enjoy.0
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Since I stopped drinking I don't have the "more wine" challenge but I can relate that company does encourage excesses of all kinds. That's what this group is for: support to get through the everyday and special weight loss challenges that life is packed with.0
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I don't drink either but I use to be hooked on diet sunkist.That's all I'd drink.Very seldom did I drink water,probably no more than a glass a week.I went to have blood work done and they sent me out to drink water because they couldn't get blood.After consuming water they were able to draw blood.I didn't know your veins could become dehydriated.I still stayed drinking my diet sunkist.Now I haven't drank one for a year.Water is all I drink.
That was hard to give up but now I don't crave my sodas.
I'm not sure i'll get in exercise today.I've been fighting a sinus headache today.I took sinus medicine and Ibuprofin today but still feel yucky.hopefully i'll feel better tomorrow.
I'm having company for several days next week,my daughter,husband and 3 grandchildren.Ages 2,4 &6.Alot more cooking.At least they can have leftovers after thanksgiving.I'll probably be to busy to eat much.Another challenge for sure.
Mary
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Oh, I miss those days of large Thanksgivings and playing board games and catching up with cousins. And when I was in my 20's and 30's always seemed to be a gang of friends to bring their holiday favorites for a Thanksgiving potluck. I probably will cook a turkey breast---it's all the leftovers that I really like: turkey sandwiches and turkey casseroles and the like. I am saved from myself though, in general, by going out to eat and having it mostly be a one meal feast.
I think the secret is planning ahead. Entering the items and calories before meals.
Mary, how wonderful for you to have your daughter and her family, especially the little ones with you!
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Hi Mary and Marney, I've invited Marney's friend grandmothercharlie (Charlie) to join us. She's 63 and seems like a good fit.0
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[img]http://www.freesmileys.org/custom/image/grey%5E_%5Eimpact%5E_%5E3%5E_%5E0%5E_%5EThanks for the invitation!%5E_%5E.gif[/img]Thanks, Gayle, for inviting me to take part in your challenge. It is a little late for me to say a 20 pound loss by January 1, but I will try for 5 pounds. (I looked back and see that you started on August 28. I was at 170 then. I'm at 159 now. So my goal will be 154! (I would never had signed up for 20 anyway as 5 pounds a month is pretty much the best I can do) That will be tough with some travel and holidays in there, but I'm always up for the challenge.
Okay, I'll tell you a little about myself and how I got here: Was always thin at about 115. About 14 years ago I suddenly couldn't do the things I wanted to do. I had developed some heart problems which my doctor did not take too seriously (so neither did I) and RA. I gained 100 pounds in 8 months and then over 20 more throughout the years. About 5 years ago, I hit a really critical stage with the heart, although the RA was in remission. Now, I wasn't allowed to exercise at all. They urged me to quit work, but I wouldn't. They kept calling me to warn me of the symptoms of sudden death They only gave me a 1 in 3 chance of surviving 5 years. They tried to stablize and improve my heart with meds, but never got too far with that even after 2 years. Finally, they put in a pacemaker/crt/defibrillator. The CRT part of the implant really helped my heart function and has pretty much normalized its functioning!
But...my RA was now back with a vengence. Took a while for me to get it back into remission.
Once I started feeling better, I then wanted to lose weight. I thought about gastric sleeve surgery at 238 and BMI at 45. Went so far as seeing the surgeon and paying my "up front" money. She said that after I did all the stuff and after surgery, I would be required to eat only 1200 calories a day, walk everyday, and log my food. So, I decided to see if I could do it then so I was prepared after surgery. Since I'm a technology geek, I asked her if there was a program and she suggested MFP.
So, I joined the gym in January 2014 and started eating 1200 calories. I started losing. I started getting stronger and increasing stamina which was huge for me. I finally lost so much that I didn't even qualify for surgery anymore. I've lost a total of 79 pounds (71 since really actively joining MFP in mid-January).
I do have a few things that may look different from some of you. 1. I almost always eat out. I love to cook, just not for just myself; 2. Because of the HF, I can't drink lots of water as water-weight gain is my enemy and my intake is limited, and, 3. I am addicted to cardio, but I was having water-weight gain problems and read a lot of articles stating that anything over 60 minutes of cardio a day (with the ideal at 45) and no days off could contribute to water-weight gain and retention. I have really lowered my cardio to around 45 minutes a day and am taking off at least one day a week. Believe it or not, this has been very hard for me. Seems to have made a difference though as I have lost 4 pounds since I started doing that a few weeks ago and no large water weight gains since either.
My diary is open to the public, so feel free to look and comment. I leave tomorrow for 3 days in DC (work and pleasure) so I may not be as good as I should be. Don't be surprised!
Good luck to all of you trying to meet your goals!
Charlie (really Charlene, but no one calls me that)
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Thanks for inviting Charlie, Gayle, and welcome Charlie. Interesting story, Charlie, and what a journey! Truly inspirational to do it yourself and with body challenges too. I have no excuses. I am always learning on here.
I did not know that cardio workouts every day were not so good and a day off would make a difference. I am working up on cardio and trying for 45 minutes, which I am achieving most days, but I am still counting warm up and cool down. I am also increasing intensity. Mary and Gayle outshine me by far with their staying power at cardio. I tend to skip. But I guess I need a 'planned' skip.
I know from my senior fitness education that us folks over 60 should watch intensity abit more closely and that medium to medium low is better for us than high and it 'mobilizes' our fat stores better. When I get home, I will look up in my books and get the details of what I learned. I knew that for strength training, 3 times a week with time off in between sessions in essential for your muscles to heal from the work. I looked at the machines in passing this morning, so I am in the 'early contemplation stage of change' for strength training. But I know that strength training makes a huge difference in inches loss and in senior's lives, keeping them looking and feeling younger longer.
Water drinking is always a challenge for me and I did not know veins became dehydrated, Mary. Thanks for that info. It puts a different slant on trying harder. I am lucky. Sodas have never been tempting for me. But, I just don't drink much of anything. So I am trying for more water.
Gayle is our star at 20 lbs and counting! Mary and I are moving along though and we both look forward to 15. And with the time left, it is still possible. It is, after all, set out as a challenge! And any loss is a gain, if you know what I mean.
Weigh in tomorrow. Good luck!
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Intensity varies according to fitness. At one time 2 mph for 10 minutes was intense for me. Now, I walk 4 mph for 30-45 and barely breathe heavy. The fat burning zone for your heart-rate is really not very high. You are right about that. If you want to figure it for yourself, take 220 - your age. Then multiply by 60% and 70%. This is your fat burning range and a good range for the non-athlete. So at 63 mine would be 94-110. Even at 4 mph, there are times when I really have to be punching the air overhead in order to raise my heart rate. Or I have to increase the level on the stationary bike.
As for water in blood and vessels, that is why if you need to raise your blood pressure, you drink water. When I was in cardiac rehab, my blood pressure would drop lower after a workout (most people's do). I had to get mine up to a certain level before I could leave so they would have me drink water.
The length of a workout and rest time is important because our bodies produce cortisol to give us the energy and strength to get through the workout. Cortisol is the stress hormone and known to inhibit weight loss and cause belly fat. When we come to rest, dopamine and growth hormones are released and they wash the cortisol away. But, if we exercise too long, there is too much cortisol to wash away. So, exercise, which we think of as relaxing acts like a stress instead. It also inhibits our sleep, our weight loss, and causes water retention because our cells absorb and hold water to protect themselves. Our bodies need an occasional long break from all that cortisol, so that the good hormones can really wash everything bad away. That is the reason for taking a day off.
As you may have seen, I have real problems with water retention and plateauing. I was doing cardio up to 2 hours a day and would only take a break if I had to (maybe once every two weeks or so). I could gain 10 pounds in two days. Then I would have to start on the diuretics as the water is bad for my heart. It would take sometimes weeks to get rid of the water and back down. Only to gain again. Diuretics are too hard on kidneys to have to do that consistently.
After doing all the research and I kept seeing this thing about cortisol, exercise, and water retention, I cut back about the beginning of the month. 45 minutes or so, 6 days a week. That is cardio now. But still, everything says you should take a total break one day a week.
You can search this on MFP and on other sites. Lots of studies.
Charlie
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