**CLOSED** SKINNY CHICS & A ROOSTER TRIATHALON **CLOSED**

meerkat70

On a more physical note, I just have to say how much all of these challenges have me craving workout time. I mean, really craving it with withdrawals and all. Like right now, I'm sitting here thinking how I can possibly fit in some kind of physical activity when I know I'm going to be busy all day and all evening. I'm

I feel just the same. This challenge has really made me up my game for the last week or two, and I've been *amazed* how much I can do when I really push myself. It's actually been a huge boost to my confidence!

I do need to get myself back in the pool though. I just find it such a hassle... But it's good exercise, and easier on my achey bones!

carhicks

Renae - again, great job on the 5K! I still haven't done one yet, and I keep saying I will. I think that I am just worried about being embarrassed or not doing good. I know, stop the pity party. I have a friend (super skinny and in shape) that offered to run with me in one, maybe I will take her up on that offer!

Meerkat - I hope you feel better soon!!!

So I ended up staying at school later yesterday than I had planned, so I didn't make it to the gym afterschool :grumble: But, I came home, ate a super healthy dinner, did homework with my 8 year-old, spent some time with the hubs....then...went back to the gym! I got in 30 minutes on the treadmill, which felt great! I didn't run because my food didn't completely settle, and I didn't want to push it too hard, so I walked. I usually would walk around 3.8, and that felt as fast as my legs would take me. But, I pushed it up to 4.1 and was able to walk that with an incline of 4% and as high as 8.5! It felt great! Then, I took my boys swimming. I didn't get to do as much as I wanted, but I felt pretty good because I was able to do the 8 laps without stopping! I was going to go back after playing with my boys and do some more, but it was getting late. But, I am feeling better about the swimming. I still need to get my breathing right on the freestyle (I think that is the name). I know that you are suppose to breathe every 2 strokes (with the right arm), but I get nervous and can't slow down my breathing. Then because I am turning so much, I get more tired. Any suggestions? I could probably do freestyle for longer if my breathing was under control, but right now, I can only back it 3/4 of a lap before I am dead tired!

Hope you all have a Terrific Tuesday! And where is everyone? It is only the 13th! We can't dissappear! Come back!!!

Lexie, I agree with your comments about Renae and the 5 K. That is one of my goals in all this. I never thought that I would consider it, but with this triathalon, I am becoming stronger and truly hope to participate in one next year.

YOu did a great job last night getting everything in. What a balancing act with work and kids. I was there many years ago and did not balance well, my health suffered unfortunately.

The swimming question. I do not claim to be an expert, but have swam most of my life. I do not breathe every 2 strokes. I breathe when I need to. Of course, as I swim longer, I need to breathe more often. Make sure you only turn your head and do not lift it up as that will tire you out more and make you need to breathe more oftern. You can breathe either right or left depending upon what feels more comfortable to you. Just turn your head to the opposite side of the arm that is forward. Hope this helps. Carla

StaciO

Gosh it seems so weird to not have anything to enter for yesterday. My knee feels fine today though. Iam not sure what it was yesterday.

Lexie- I have a cousin who is a swim lesson teacher in his retirement (he was a high school teacher and swim coach his whole life) he said to use a snorkel for a little bit to control your breathing if you get nervous or panicky. The idea is to put the snorkel in your mouth but breathe as you normally would while swimming. For example: take a breath (on the right or left it doesn't matter) hold it. Swim for however many strokes you are comfortable letting air excape from your mouth the whole time with out forcing air out. Then take another breath and repeat. Now yes that is not how a snorkel is meant to be used but he says it works great. Then when you are comfortable with that. You would adjust by taking your initial breath. Swim for how every many strokes you are comfortable (with out feeling "pressure" in your lungs) letting air excape in bubbles the whole time with out forcing the air out. Then turn your head (don't lift your head just turn) to the side where your arm is behind or below you and take another breath (you should only have to inhale as you should have blown all your out in the bubbles). There is no set number of strokes as everyone has different a different lung capacity. Usually it is between 2 and 4 strokes. I know it sounds complicated but once you get the hang of it it really works. My problem is that I get a panicky feeling everytime I snorkel or scuba for the first few minutes. It passes quickly though.

Meerkat- if you get achy knees everytime you ride, your seat may need adjusted a little higher. Your leg might not be extended enough at the bottom of your pedal stroke. I know when I got my new seat I didn't adjust the height of it and I should have as it made my knees a little sore. I am all good now though.

RENAEJAE

I have still not jumped rope or done any of my biking. I am at nearly 60miles for my walk/jog though. :ohwell::ohwell: I did come up with an idea today for biking. I am going to put my bike rack on my SUV tonight and bring my bike to work. I can take an hour or so during the day and get some miles in. I always do 30 minutes on the treadmill each morning so biking at noon will be a nice change. So many nice side roads around here to explore. That's what I do with my walking now. I drive to some remote back road. Pull over and change my clothes on the side of the road then walk for an hour. My friends at work have a fit. They think I'm going to get jumped or something. I have no worries.

OK - so it's biking for me tomorrow. **** writing myself a note **** really bad memory!! I am reading :Lisa Genova's 'Still Alice' right now - about a Harvard professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. So of course whenever I forget something Iately I panic. Very sad disease. Anyone else reading a good book?

k2quiere

Renae, dear, are we going to have to strap you to the bike seat with a jumprope? You have been telling yourself you are going to do these things for over a week now. I have observed you long enough to know that you, of all people, tend to do exactly what you say you're going to, so what's the deal?

Ok, so now that I've just basically told you what everyone else is telling me about running, I guess I'm going to have to find at least 30 seconds this week to bounce my fat *kitten* around the track and pray no one yells out "Henrietta" while I'm doing it. ***Darn, I wish I could remember the name of the show with Henrietta Hippo. One of my favs from childhood.

RENAEJAE

Bobbie - that would be the New Zoo Revue!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE1ctCtjzoA
Mr. Dingle is waiting for you!

Try running today and I will try jumping rope.

daylitemag

Hi All,

@Renea: now you've got me worried about you....and I don't even know you! Driving to a remote location and then taking off your clothes just doesn't not sound like a great idea. Whatever you do, do NOT start watching the TV show "Criminal Minds", because I can virtually guarantee that you will no longer be able to do that particular activity.

I am enjoying reading everyone's personal stories. It is amazing how many similarities there are between the different life experiences

I think it is time for me to add some additional exercise to my day. Up until now I have been walking pretty much every morning for approximately 40-45 minutes. That time is slowly decreasing as my average speed has increased, so that now I'm doing just 38-40 minutes. Also, I feel like I could run and have done a few little bursts here and there, but I don't really think that my joints are ready for that kind of pounding. I just don't think that running will be good for my body; at least not until I can drop some more LBS. I'm finding that I don't want to go out walking after work. I tell myslef it is b/c I am tired, but in reality I know it's just b/c I'm lazy. Routine is very important for me (I believe I have ADD) and it's not easy for me to add new things into my day.

A friend of mine and I have been talking about going to a gym together 2 or 3 times per week. This is something we used to do a few years ago, but we fell out of the habit. It might time to get going on that and see where it leads.

Hope you all are having a great day!

k2quiere

Bobbie - that would be the New Zoo Revue!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE1ctCtjzoA
Mr. Dingle is waiting for you!

Try running today and I will try jumping rope.

Yay!!! That is exactly it! Can't do it today...no time for workout, but let's do it tomorrow! Seriously!

StaciO

ReNae- do you put clothes back on before you go walking /running? In my head I am seeing you streaking around some back roads in Maine. Please put some sunscreen on. You're going to get your bits burned.

Greg- We love Criminal Minds at our house! I think having someone to go to the gym with would be awesome. But I find a way to turn everything into a competition and that is one of the reasons that my hubby and I don't go to the same gym. Evidently that annoys him.:laugh: You could always keep walking for the same length of time and just go a little farther each morning. Or after you make your loop or whatever it is add a short burt of running/jogging even as far as only 3 driveways away then turn around and walk back. That way you are probably not going to hurt your joints. But really if you feel like they aren't ready for that then don't do it. I would hate for you to come on here tomorrow all doped up because you have hurt yourself.

I got a quick walk in after I ate my lunch today. I didn't realize that there was a .4 mile path through the gardens at a park just half a block from the hospital. Now I have no excuse except for the weather for not going daily.

meerkat70

Meerkat- if you get achy knees everytime you ride, your seat may need adjusted a little higher. Your leg might not be extended enough at the bottom of your pedal stroke. I know when I got my new seat I didn't adjust the height of it and I should have as it made my knees a little sore. I am all good now though.

THat didn't occur to me. Thanks, I'll try that!

ncwingnut71

No miles today because I worked with my trainer (I'm 7% down in body fat!! woo!)

I did 5.23 miles yesterday

meerkat70

Feeling blah today, so may not get to gym. Also a big risk of major crash into a crackers and pate overload. Taking mum to hospital this afternoon. She has advanced cancer. Just a minor day op today, but it's always stressful (she has heart disease, so any general anaesthetic procedure is risky), and you end up waiting round a lot, she gets really grumpy, my dad gets anxious.... it all gets a bit much, really.

So.... I'm going to do my best. I will hopefully manage to do some physical stuff, and maintain healthy eating. But ho hum. Let's see what the day holds.

In truth the crackers and pate are calling to me already.... !

MrsRazor7

Meerkat – I had the same issue with my fanny and my right knee. My knee didn’t bother me unless I did a bunch of miles, but it did go away and hasn’t bothered me since I completed the bike miles. Also, glad that you are feeling better! Also, I hope that everything goes good today. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Becky – yes, I will be coming back for good. And thanks for the heads up on the coaching…I will look into that! I almost applied for a coaching position before I left, but because I knew I would be leaving, I didn’t do it. It sounds like a great job! Also, that is great that you are craving exercise!

Carla – thank you for the advice on swimming! I took swimming lessons a long time ago, but I never really mastered the breathing thing past those lessons. I am going to work on it some, at the beginning of my swimming so I am not as tired and can try and relax. And yes, sometimes that is what I feel like…a juggler!

Staci – that is a great idea. And I guess I forgot the part about exhaling a little bit at the entire time. I am swimming tonight, so I will try that! I think that I was exhaling too fast, which was making me breath too fast, which was making me more tired. Glad your knee is feeling better!

Renae – hope you enjoyed your bike ride! I am not reading a book...unless you consider math papers or my son’s homework reading books :laugh: I need to try and start reading, but I was never a big reader, and if I don’t have time, that goes really quickly.

Daylite: You are sooo right about Criminal minds! When I first moved to my new house in the country, and when my hubby was deployed, I was addicted to the show! Not a good idea because I was sooo scared to go outside or be in my house!

NCwing – Yay! That is amazing…7%?!? Great job!

I didn't make it to the gym yesterday, but I am going today! I have to get some swimming in before they close the pool for a week starting Friday! I guess they are making some repairs (hopefully removing the mold on the roof), so I am not complaining. I just had wished I was finished with my swimming miles before they closed it. But, they will open it up and I will have atleast another week to finish up the swimming. I can't believe that I look forward to lap swimming!

Hope you all have a great day

carhicks

Hello all, I am off to the gym to get some more miles in on that bike. I am almost there.

Meerkat, I hope things went okay yesterday. I also will pray for your family. I know how tough it is.

Only 8 more days until my retirement trip (one month long) so I have to get this triathalon finished before I go. I do not know what type of exercise I will be getting in while I am gone. It looks like it will be mostly walking.

Have a good day everyone. Carla

k2quiere

Becky – yes, I will be coming back for good. And thanks for the heads up on the coaching…I will look into that! I almost applied for a coaching position before I left, but because I knew I would be leaving, I didn’t do it. It sounds like a great job! Also, that is great that you are craving exercise!

Hehe...You called me Becky...lol I hate when they close up parts of the facilities. I mean, don't they know that we have challenges to complete and schedules to work around. The YWCA really pisses me off when they close the pool down for swimmeets. Hello, I pay my dues just like everyone else, and one open lap for swimming is not cutting it.


Jane: I hope all goes well with your mom today. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Now, lay off the pate and grab a banana or something.

RENAEJAE

Let me clarify - I CHANGE into my running clothes (behind or in the back of the SUV). No naked running going on up here in Maine. The mosquitos are too big!

I brought my bike and my jumprope with me today so lunchtime should be fun! So YES Bobbie - that means you will be doing a little running today.

Happy swimming Lexie. Carla - all I can say is I'm jelous! Enjoy that vacation. Meerkat - so sorry to hear about your mom. That's tough. Lynn - nice job on the body fat! I'm impressed!!

Busy schedule with the kids tonight. Dance & Field Hockey are both in full swing. School open houses and booster meetings. Dinner will be a challenge tonight since we won't be home until 7:30. I'll have a plan by then that won't include standing up at the island and chowing. promise

ncwingnut71

NCwing – Yay! That is amazing…7%?!? Great job!

I

THanks so much!! I've been frustrated because the scale hasn't been moving, but apparently, other things have!!

Off to the gym....gonna see how far I can go tonight

k2quiere

YES Bobbie - that means you will be doing a little running today.

And YES, Bobbie did!!! I forced myself to do it at the second curve, after I put my bag down, then I came walking around the track and said, hey let's try again...success! Third time at that curve, I started and only made half of the short side, so I walked the rest of the curve and lap. My legs were burning, so I went and did something else. When I finished on the bike, I was uleet because I hadn't even walked a mile, so I went back to the track. Then I started thinking, you didn't finish an even number of curves...yeah, sometimes I'm a bit OCD. Anyway, so, since I needed 3 more laps to make 8 for the mile, I figured I'd try 1.5 more curves to make 4 in total...or one quarter of the total curves. Anyway, I did it!! Now I've just created a personal challenge for myself to up that to half the curves, then three quarters of them, etc. BTW: have I mentioned that I HATE math???

The only thing is that I wish I had turned on the Pedometer...not so much for the run, because it was by no means fast, but because I know just doing it increased my walking speed. I don't remember ever getting around the track that quickly.

So, thank you all! I probably would never have even tried without your push and support!

RENAEJAE

Way to go Bobbie!!! That's the way to do it. Add a little more each day. I am still not a runner but I try to incorporate some jogging into each of my walks. Even if it's just little burst here and there. I'm very proud of you. You've turned a corner - literally!! WOOT WOOT!!

Staci - how was that brownie? Hope your BD dinner was fabulous!!

I'm hoping to get back on my bike today for another spin around town. It really was a lot of fun yesterday. I generally bike with my husband and 2 kids so doing it solo felt liberating.

~keeping it skinny today
PS - it's Thirsty Thursday so drink up

BRISAjustAltered

So I've been MIA lately. Been busy with school. So far I'm going into my fith exam and I had forgotten how much effort it takes to prepare for them. I feel sad that I have not been active in the forums like I should. I miss keeping up with everyone. I have concentrated on finishing the triatholon though. I think I'm almost done with the bike part and will now tackle the swimming. My legs are beastly from all that cycling! But my hip joint is taking a serious beating. My pit bull Coffee is loving this challenge too since he has gotten to do all the running/walking and biking with me. Although it took some training for him to learn not to get in front of the bike. He did make me take a big fall one day so I did not bike the next. It's the only day I did not log any miles. I had such a slow start going into this, and I feel unaccomplished for not having finished yet. I know I'm stronger then this. The weather was crappy in the biggining of the month. Then Tom showed up. Then I got tackled with exams. And have so much responsibilities with my baby brother and sister, twins, that I can not ignore. But I guess this challenge has also been about tackling life challenges. I have been eating total crap lately, but trying to go back to the light side, still stuck in the dark side though :-/
Well that is it. I will make it my focus to return to the forum more often. Miss yall so much!!

StaciO

Good morning everyone! Yes ReNae my birthday dinner was awesome and I had only a bite of the brownie but went to bed feeling like I had a giant lump in my belly. Today at lunch I am going for a walk and after work I am heading out for a short ride. I am hoping to finish my bicycling miles this weekend but I do have a 5k run on Saturday morning so I am not positive I will get hem all in.

stephaniezoundi

Hello!
Still trying to get used to being back at school. Was feeling exhausted but thought that I must get some miles in so headed to the gym and walked 5km and biked 6km ....early to bed me thinks!!

RENAEJAE

Retail therapy was fun today. I actually bought a couple of tops. Grabbed XL since that's the smallest I've been in a decade then threw caution to the wind and tried on a Large which fit just fine. What a liberating feeling that was. No matter what size you are, when you drop even one size it is just thrilling. I'm just beginning to put some thought into this new body image. It's not easy to see yourself as such a different person. A little identity crisis going on at the moment. I very nervous to buy clothes as I morph into this new body. Hard to explain the emotions.

Steph - I hope you rest tomorrow.
Staci - nice job on that tempting brownie
Bobbie - how was your run today?

k2quiere

Nothing today, Renae. My knees are not appreciating me today from yesterday, but I will try again either tomorrow or this weekend. Tonight, I'm getting in the pool for at least an hour!

simplysara9

I know I haven't posted much here. I am still nursing my poor foot.:sad: I have barely been able to walk after work so I haven't logged many miles but I am going to finish my 26.2 for my team even if I get the last half of my miles from crawling. I am detemined to finish this and not let my team down!

lombrica

Retail therapy was fun today. I actually bought a couple of tops. Grabbed XL since that's the smallest I've been in a decade then threw caution to the wind and tried on a Large which fit just fine. What a liberating feeling that was. No matter what size you are, when you drop even one size it is just thrilling. I'm just beginning to put some thought into this new body image. It's not easy to see yourself as such a different person. A little identity crisis going on at the moment. I very nervous to buy clothes as I morph into this new body. Hard to explain the emotions.

Congrats... yes, emotions... oh, the emotions!

stephaniezoundi

Retail therapy was fun today. I actually bought a couple of tops. Grabbed XL since that's the smallest I've been in a decade then threw caution to the wind and tried on a Large which fit just fine. What a liberating feeling that was. No matter what size you are, when you drop even one size it is just thrilling. I'm just beginning to put some thought into this new body image. It's not easy to see yourself as such a different person. A little identity crisis going on at the moment. I very nervous to buy clothes as I morph into this new body. Hard to explain the emotions.

It strange isn't it! My sister kept getting frustrated with me as I said I couldn't try on certain things and sizes. I just couldn't see what was going on with my body the way she was!

meerkat70

Renae, it's all a bit overwhelming, the size change thing, isn't it? I find it all a bit confusing. I'm not quite clear what size I actually *am* as I'm losing - I don't have an accurate self image at all. I used to drive my friend crazy out in the street asking her 'am I bigger than her?'. 'what about her?' - because the numbers don't make any sense, really, and my body image goes all over the place.

When I got down to my slimmest in decades, 2 years ago, the thing that really threw me was male attention. I was single at the time, and found it all a bit overwhelming and hard to deal with.

meerkat70

Oh forgot to say - i n triathlon terms, I've decided not to go more than a half hour on the bike for a while, just to give my poor aching bones time to heal! I must get my lazy self back into the pool. I meant to go on the way back from the school run this morning, but it was a crazy morn and nothing much happened that was supposed to. I've nearly completed a second round of the running.

Lost just over 4lb this week, which has made me happy.

RENAEJAE

Meerkat - Nice loss this week. My scales showed 3 down yesterday and another one this morning. I'll hold off on logging the last lb until Monday. It will motivate me to maintain it over the weekend.

I agree about the male attention. It's very awkward for me - uncomfortable - embarrassing. No idea how to respond it's been so many years.

Sara - rest that foot over the weekend!