September Fitness Challenge
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Did you notice we both have the same number of pounds to go?!
How cool! Yeah, mine isn't totally firm either--once I get in the ballpark I'm just going to focus on improving fitness and body fat percentage and see where I end up, whether it be higher or lower.Do you like any of your video workouts? If not, there are a ton of free ones on You Tube. Also, I sometimes enjoy my Wii Fit workouts. You can probably find a used one on craigslist to help you get through the winter.
This is a good thought. It's hard to believe, but I've been overwhelmed with fitness things I want to try, because they sound so fun, and among those things are some DVDs and a couple of Wii dancing games I picked up (I have an old Wii, just need to figure out how to hook it up with the Blueray and everything also hooked up). Also, I am interested in getting more serious about yoga and some hiking groups that I am sure will be active in the winter (if it's just not like last winter, please, no). And of course maybe really getting into strength training or getting back to swimming (not that that sounds super appealing in the winter, but it IS indoors).0 -
Hi, friends! I really feel like a slug when I see all that you are doing to become healthier. Hats off to you!!!
I have had a bit of a wake up call this week when I compared my stats with a body fat percentage calculator online. It says I am ... well, I forgot the exact number now, but I had an unhealthy percentage ... all due to my waist measurement. Darn! I've been eating reasonably well most days, but still way overdoing the carbs, especially sugars. Rather disappointed in myself for not having conquered that sweet tooth of mine better than I had thought. I am trying to ride this doggone bike 30 or more minutes every day this month to see if that added in with my daily bopping around in the yard and garden and playing with my toddler granddaughter will help me bring my waist in to a more reasonable dimension. Perhaps I should try something else. I find it difficult to do any regular exercising during the day with my granddaughter in tow. Her nap time is precious time to me for getting stuff done, like the -gulp- creation of 11 costumes for a local historical event. Does anyone have any advice on how to target the belly - keeping in mind that I am 57 years young? I am sure there is a wealth of ideas on the boards here. I just find wading through them overwhelming at times. I'd be delighted to hear what my fellow Warrior Women suggest.
Thank you, Sue, for asking for a pic of my garden. My beau has said he wants to get a photo of me in there, which I will try to make happen this weekend. The garden is looking rather fried at this stage -- oh, please, we need more rain. He did take a sweet shot of my little Vivi in the marigold patch. I may try to add that as my new profile pic tonight.
Well, time to get on that bike! Best wishes to all of you!0 -
Good Morning, Warrior Women!
Doing stand-up has shifted my sleep schedule back a few hours and I'm rediscovering my love for late nights. This is not great, since I still have a day job, although it's rare that I have an early meeting. It has wreaked a bit of havoc with my eating patterns too, but I'm sure I'll work it out. I have my first "featured" performance on 9/18 at Comedy Off Broadway Oakland and I'm excited to be making such quick progress at feeling comfortable on stage again.
As I was trying to talk myself into going to bed, this song came into my head...
In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep
From the mountains of faith
To a river so deep
I must be looking for something
Something sacred I lost
But the river is wide
And it's too hard to cross
--From "River of Dreams" by Billy Joel
http://youtu.be/hSq4B_zHqPM
It took a bit of searching to find the name and then the video, so I thought I'd share it. One of my fave old Billy Joel songs.
As my sleep & eating patterns have changed, I've also noticed exercising is shifting. I ended up doing my 30 Day Shred at 9:45pm, which I thought would be horrible, but it wasn't. I've noticed I've been a bit exercise resistant, due to not sleeping enough, but if I just trick myself into starting something, I usually finish it. "Ok, Sue, so I know it seems late to do circuit training, but why don't we just put it on and see how long we can do it?"
Stephanie, I LOVE the Wii dance programs! I only own the Dance on Broadway, but I've tried the Michael Jackson & Zumba at friends' houses. I may need to expand my Wii program collection. I have an old one, too, and think the whole Wii U thing seems like a waste of money. Although, it would be cool to be able to workout with friends via the Wii U. I just don't know anyone who was willing to pay the $350 for it.
CumberlandGrammy, that pic of your granddaughter in the garden is so magical! I think you're pretty darn fit and get plenty of general conditioning. If you want to strengthen your belly, I highly recommend Jillian Michael's Killer Abs, 6 Week Six-Pack Abs, or even the 30 Day Shred, which I'm currently doing. They're all pretty focused on strengthening your abs, so you should see a difference pretty quickly. I'm only my 2nd week of the 30 Day Shred (27 minutes, every other day) and already feel my abs firming up. They're also all on You Tube. Maybe, because they're pretty short, Vivi would have fun doing them with you?
That said, I've also heard that while strengthening your abs will shrink your waist size, you cannot spot lose fat. Your body will decide when it wants to lose fat and from where. I've also read that our bodies will try to maintain belly fat post menopause, in order to hold on to as much estrogen as possible (that's where it's stored).
One more thing for you & Vivi:
http://youtu.be/5hn61z3FlMQ (Just Dance Kids 2 - The Gummy Bear Song) 0 -
Thank you, Sue, for all the great tips! I have read about the belly fat post menopause storage issue, but needed the reminder for sure. I was also afraid I might hear that those abs workouts might be of help. Guess I best be brave and give them a go. I too have been working out late -- mine is due to procrastinating, but also in part, just using the time of the day when I finally stop doing everything else and would normally sit on the couch with my beau watching TV, which I really don't enjoy so much. (How's that for a run-on, convoluted sentence?!) Last night I was pedaling for 45 minutes at 18 mph. Our machine has handles so that you pump your arms as well as pedal. I tossed and turned for nearly two hours trying to get to sleep - I could tell my body was just too cranked up to settle down.
Sure wish I could go see your standup! I didn't realize you were a performer! How cool is that!!! Now I think I see the connection in your user name ... you really are a joker! Tee hee!
Have a great day, Warriors, and a fun-filled weekend!0 -
This week's September fitness goals check-in:
1) Walk an average of 7500 steps/day, 6 days/week... Did it!
2) Do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, 3x/week... Done!
3) Have as many spontaneous dance parties as possible... Absolutely!
How was your week?0 -
Good to read everyone's updates. Impressive group of women getting stuff done and working on themselves.
I've been avoiding this thread because I feel like I'm not reaching my goals and I'm going backwards.
I'm disappointed that I had to give up intermittent fasting. My blood sugars dropped so low, I was literally shaking, more than one time. The feelings of weakness and dizziness was unfun too. I figured I have nothing to prove, so why risk feeling wobbly and passing out? On top of these side effects, I gained back whatever weight I lost at the beginning.
So even though it hasn't been working, I'm back to eating at a deficit and exercising.
My Doctor's appointment moved to tomorrow, so only one more day to find out if I still need to continue with the Coumadin treatment. And the below the knee exercise ban. Although I keep forgetting, so I've been walking stairs and biking errands for a about a month.
@Suejoker
Have you had a lot of success with Eat More to Weight Less? I think you mentioned using this method before.
I'm not surprised about your HRM experience. I know people love that gadget but I've always heard a lot of negatives. I remember when Fitbit and similar devices came out. Part of their appeal is their improvement over heart rate monitors. Does exercising late help you fall asleep or sleep more deeply? I'm like @CumberlandGra, a lot of activity near bedtime makes it harder to calm down.
@schnicklefrit
Good for you on your loss! And your lifting accomplishments. Hopefully your physical therapy sessions will pay off in the long run with a healthier body.
@lemurcat12
Why not try everything? Give it a chance for a week or two before deciding to add it to your routine. After all, the main thing is to pick an activity and do it.
I know a lot of trails from when I had a dog. Bicyclists and dogs tend to like the same trails. I have links like the one below that describes the trails, has directions and sometimes photos. In the Bay Area, this is crucial because a trail can either be flatish and well maintained or steep and rutted. Sometimes you don't know which is which until you get out there. I've had to walk my bike up many a surprise, unexpected hill.
http://rhorii.com/BABP/baybike.htm0 -
PT has been going good. I am learning how to move differently and to use my glutes and hips more. Sounds so strange, but I don't use those muscles very much, I move very rigidly and I power all of my movements with my quads...thus the knee pain. Anyway, I am doing well. Went for a 3 mile walk Monday and Tuesday night, Tuesday was not awesome, but Monday was my best walk time every. I am hoping if I behave myself that perhaps I can go back to squats and deadlifts next week. Probably not back to my high weights, but a start is a start.
Other than that, not much new on the home front. We are hoping that Jovan moves out soon...we want our little house back to a quiet place. Although, with having said that, my mother may be moving in with us for the winter. However, she will be very helpful with cooking and cleaning and such, which will take some stress off of me while I am on this work out journey of mine. I am hoping it will work out. She seems to have changed since she was here last and is much more supportive of my lifestyle and my changes. So, we have alot of talking to do of course, but I think there is a chance. While she and I have not always gotten along, I want to spend time with my mom before she passes and she is only 72, but she will be moving to TX in the spring and then the only way I will see her is if we go there. I want her to teach me how to sew and do all of the fun stuff mom's are supposed to teach their daughters, but we didnt get along well enough to do it when I was younger.
Anyway....Tonight is Heavy lift night...whoot whoot....I can still lift upper body and we have just been hammering the upper body. I feel every muscle in my body all the time now. Kind of cool.
Have a great day dolls!!!!!!!0 -
Great consistency, Sue! How are you liking the 30DS?
Culo, hope the doctor went well! Having information on the trails is so valuable, isn't it? Here you don't really have to worry about terrible hills (this is a flat, flat part of the Midwest), but so many are badly marked or have issues with the surface (especially after this last winter and so on) that I've found there are usually tricks to all of them the first time riding them. I've been using http://www.traillink.com/, which has an app that I put on my phone.
Riding to and from work has gotten a lot easier in one respect--the summer crowds that made the lakefront path basically unbearable are way down--but now we are into earlier darkness, and I simply can't leave work in time to avoid riding in the dark, which I dislike. (Same problem with running, since I'd fallen back into the habit of running after I go home.) I'm going to shop this weekend for a really good light for my bike, but I think I'm also going to try to convert back to morning runs. Of course, soon enough it will be dark for my morning runs, but that's not so bothersome.
Earlier this week I tried an interval running class at my gym, which I hoped would force me to break out of my comfort zone and run faster, and that really worked. Not only was the class a fun workout (and hard), but the next day I found that I was running faster. Because I liked the instructor and happened to be downtown anyway, today I decided to try his Saturday circuit training class and enjoyed that too.
Jodi, how'd the lifting go?0 -
Happy weekend Ladies.
The meeting with the doctor was a mixed bag. Yay, I have all limits on exercising removed. Turns out that they give the movement restriction to everyone who starts taking Coumadin. In case a brain aneurysm or pulmonary embolism is caused by a medicine loosened blood clot. I've been taking the medicine long enough that the risk is reduced.
Boo, I'm on Coumadin for the rest of my life. The alternative is to live with the pain and higher risk of the blood clot moving.
Thanks for the Trail Link site, lemurcat12. I've been meaning to try the San Francisco Bay Trail (Emeryville to Richmond) for years. Now I know the name and more information.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/san-francisco-bay-trail-(emeryville-to-richmond).aspx
Congrats on getting back to lifting, schnicklefrit. It's funny how someone outside of yourself knows more about you than you. I guess it's hard to know things like moving your glutes and hips differently if you can't see yourself from a distance.0 -
Happy Monday, Warrior Women!
I'm sorry I've been out the past week. I had a crazy, busy week and could barely log. On top of my usual consulting work, I had 2 large agency trainings, 6 shows, and a report to the SF board of supervisors. And, on top of that, I had one of those annoying, heavy periods. It was a trial just to get to Friday.
This week's September fitness goals check-in:
1) Walk an average of 7500 steps/day, 6 days/week... Did it!
2) Do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred... Couldn't do it.
3) Have as many spontaneous dance parties as possible... Yes!
Culo, I'm sorry that IF didn't work for you. EM2WL has been successful for me. I may be losing more slowly, but I'm a lot happier and more energetic. Fueling my body properly for my new activity level has become a habit, now. Exercising late is not ideal for me, although I was proud of myself for sticking to my goal, in spite of the late hour. I'm so glad your exercise limits were lifted!
Jodi, that's great that PT is going so well! I hope you enjoy your mom's visit. I had a very difficult relationship with my mother, but also learned a lot from her and have missed her, since she passed away 18 years ago. She lives on in my comedy act and the memories of my family. I had brunch with a bunch of cousins yesterday and they were just howling about my mom and her crazy antics.
Stephanie, I love the 30DS and will get back to doing it this week. I tried, last week, in spite of my many commitments, but my flow was so heavy that it just didn't seem like a good idea. That's amazing that you tried 2 new classes and enjoyed them:)
Let's finish off September with a BANG!0 -
Happy Monday!
Maybe because I've been kind of stressed about stuff unrelated to fitness, but I've decided that trying to balance calories and exercise is driving me crazy, especially since I had my Fitbit on negative adjustments, so could end up with 1200 on a lower activity day and some really high number on a big running day, and it was really affecting my ability to take it easy on an off day. Therefore, I've decided, finally, to try the TDEE thing.
The IIFYM calculator gives me around 2000 for my TDEE, whereas Scooby gives me 2200-2300. My Fitbit gives me more like 2600 on average, which is consistent with how I've been losing lately, but that's up and down enough that I don't know. I'll go with 2250. To lose 1.5, then, I should aim for 1500, but I'm wanting something of a break this week plus I've been eating more than that on average, so I'm going to try 1600 and see how it goes. Also, if I'm especially hungry after larger workouts I'll consider logging 100 calories or so to have a bit extra.0 -
suejoker
Happy Monday, Warrior Women!
I'm sorry I've been out the past week. I had a crazy, busy week and could barely log. On top of my usual consulting work, I had 2 large agency trainings, 6 shows, and a report to the SF board of supervisors. And, on top of that, I had one of those annoying, heavy periods. It was a trial just to get to Friday.
This week's September fitness goals check-in:
1) Walk an average of 7500 steps/day, 6 days/week... Did it!
2) Do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred... Couldn't do it.
3) Have as many spontaneous dance parties as possible... Yes!
Culo, I'm sorry that IF didn't work for you. EM2WL has been successful for me. I may be losing more slowly, but I'm a lot happier and more energetic. Fueling my body properly for my new activity level has become a habit, now. Exercising late is not ideal for me, although I was proud of myself for sticking to my goal, in spite of the late hour. I'm so glad your exercise limits were lifted!
Whew what a week. Congrats on holding things together as well as you did. Sorry you didn't succeed as well as you hoped with the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Maybe you can move the goal to October?
Even though my exercise limit was lifted, I haven't applied the focus to change my life habits. So I haven't been exercising more. Now that I've finished up my contract position, last 2 weeks were pretty busy, I can focus on other parts of my life. I've been unsatisfied there for months but I felt like I needed to honor my contract and see it through for my own integrity. At the end of September, I have two less negative things in my life dragging down my psychic energy.
I plan to seriously look into EM2WL. I NEED to make some progress. At least Sisyphus got to see the view from the top of the hill as his reward before the boulder rolled back down. I've been gaining and losing the same 5 pounds for over 6 months with no visible changes. Although I like how my shoes fit better. What a random place to lose weight.
1600 per say seems way low. Especially if you already find it difficult to eat so little on high activity days. I'm not a dietician or nutritionist so the variable numbers seem confusing to me too. I suppose you can gauge how things go for a month then make adjustments.lemurcat12
Happy Monday!
Maybe because I've been kind of stressed about stuff unrelated to fitness, but I've decided that trying to balance calories and exercise is driving me crazy, especially since I had my Fitbit on negative adjustments, so could end up with 1200 on a lower activity day and some really high number on a big running day, and it was really affecting my ability to take it easy on an off day. Therefore, I've decided, finally, to try the TDEE thing.
The IIFYM calculator gives me around 2000 for my TDEE, whereas Scooby gives me 2200-2300. My Fitbit gives me more like 2600 on average, which is consistent with how I've been losing lately, but that's up and down enough that I don't know. I'll go with 2250. To lose 1.5, then, I should aim for 1500, but I'm wanting something of a break this week plus I've been eating more than that on average, so I'm going to try 1600 and see how it goes. Also, if I'm especially hungry after larger workouts I'll consider logging 100 calories or so to have a bit extra.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them0 -
Just wanted to say hello real quick before I duck out the door on my way to counseling. Hmph...not fond of it to say the least. I will try to actually write what has been going on at some point soon. I miss you all. This group is so quiet lately. :ohwell:0
