2 week challenge
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My 2 week mini challenge is to workout for 20 minutes each day (at least 4 days a week).0
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Hi! I am 52 and a walker also. I am 4"9 and 102 lbs. Being so small, it's hard to keep weight off. It helps that I am a teacher of 2nd graders and never sit down during the day!! I would like to lose 5 lbs. My sister introduced me to this site a week ago. I love it!0
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Welcome to all the new challengers!! Everyone is rockin the challenge so far!!
I am feeling fantastic just from eating better for only 3 days. The scale is already down 4 lbs (granted I'm sure it's water weight) but I'll take it!! If I can lose 4 more in the next 4 1/2 weeks, I will be a happy camper OR if I at least look better in my bikini, I'll be an even happier camper :blushing:
Tomorrow is a rest day and Thursday I return to my trainer, who knows how to kick my *kitten*!!! I'm actually looking forward to it :happy:
Hope everyone is doing well!!0 -
Hey, Jen! Have you read what Steve was saying over on the "already lean trying to get leaner" thread? I was thinking of you because I know you teach zumba and, well, I will paste it in here because it might be interesting to other too:
The industry is such that alarmist soundbites get passed around as fact all the time. It's pretty common nowadays to see "professionals" spouting off about how any form of steady state cardio will cause muscles to fall off. Which is really asinine. That's not how things work.
Granted, taking things to an extreme can pose some problems as building muscle and building endurance are competing goals. You can accomplish both concurrently, but no matter how you slice it, by focusing on both, there's a good chance that neither will be optimized. There's going to be a dilutive effect.
Basically making a muscle grow requires specific changes in the cellular structure of the muscle fibers - this is related to anaerobic (oxygen-free sugar-burning) metabolism. Protein accumulates under these conditions, making it bigger.
Cardio triggers muscle fibers to adapt for aerobic (oxygen-burning) metabolism and endurance.
Now, the clash comes in because these variables are mutually exclusive - they tend to cancel each other out. You can't have a muscle that's optimized for being large/anaerobic and to be energy-efficient and endurance-oriented.
The analogy I use is comparing a big SUV to a compact economy car. The SUV is big, powerful, and has horrible gas mileage. The economy car is small and not very powerful, but it'll run for days on a tank of gas.
Energy balance is a part of this equation, but there are definitely underlying and conflicting molecular-level adaptations at work.
When training, you need to aim towards the big inefficient muscle. Anaerobic optimization is what allows protein to accumulate, making the muscle bigger and stronger - at the cost of aerobic endurance. Aerobic-trained muscles are going to be much smaller (smaller = efficient) and full of the enzymes and cellular junk necessary for that - which will be at the sacrifice of the contractile proteins that make up the bulk of a muscle fiber.
I should add that this effect is mainly observed in athletes that are trying to do too much at once. I'm not talking about a handful of 30 minute cardio sessions here; you can out-eat that. This does become a concern if you're one of those doing 2-3 hours worth of cardio several times a week.0 -
Hello!!!
So Today is Day 1 of my 12 Week Challenge for Clean Eating!
I went to the grocery store last night and stocked up on veggies and fruit - then went home and proceeded to cook for the next couple hours - so I should have enough food for the next couple days! ....I can say this though already - holy cow it is a lot of food to eat in one day! Every meal - except the first one (and there are 6) have 3 oz of meat (chicken, Turkey, or fish) in them...that's right I was eating chicken at 10 this morning!!
Its a little weird but I will get use to it....keep you posted! :happy:0 -
Very interesting article Amy! ... there is always so much controversy on to run or not to run - just one more thought to add to the debate! :happy:
I am doing a 12 k in May - I haven't run over 10 before so am a little nervous - I am doing it as more of a challenge to myself though rather than a weight loss thing... should be fun! It is a women's only run, and it is in the mountains so at least it will be pretty!0 -
Way to plan ahead, AScheif! that always helps. Your run sounds enjoyable.0
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I like all the (various) 2-week challenges going on, here.
My 2-week challenge is NO late-night snacking. (Which means NO food past 7:30 pm, healthy or otherwise.)
I am also trying to get HIIT in at least 2 x per week.
The rest is status quo - 3 x weight work-outs and 1 long-cardio session per week. (And, for "fun", I added 12-minutes of HIIT at the END of my weight work-outs AND I added in 10-minutes of stretching after EVERY work-out.)0 -
These challenges are all great and I am loving all of the helpful info. You guys rock! I am on day 3 of no sugar and am also doing a 7-day cleanse (sorry about the TMI) buy it is a great thing to do every few months, especially if you have overindulged with sugar. I feel great though and honestly I don't really miss the sweets. They made me feel awful, yet I craved them like crazy - not fun. Anyways, keep up the good work everyone!0
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I'm back!! Sorry I've been so MIA!! I've been on vacation from work and haven't been on much
I'll catch up on everyone's posts later though, promise!! As for myself, I have been very bad.... too much junk!! I'm very happy to finally be back at work and back into a routine though! Last week I am happy to say I went to jazz 5 times! I'm going tonight and will probably do a home workout tomorrow. I'm going to start a new 2 week challenge now...
1. Get back down to pre-holiday weight (up to summer weight.. not logging it though because it's mostly water and sodium.. 1 or 2 lbs of actual weight possibly though...)
2. Drink lots of water & less booze!
Happy New Year everyone
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sorry guys - deleted my original post and moved it to a new topic! IT was my veggies one!0
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Hey all. Hope we are all rocking these two week challenges. I have weigh in tomorrow and I'm not optimistic about a loss. but we'll see. I love Turbo Fire, it's a lot of fun. I'm just not sure I'm burning as many calories as I'd like to with still trying to lose weight. Going to do some research on here. I know people have combined it with things like Chalene Extreme (which I do not have). I'd like to complete the full program, but I'm thinking on some of the lighter days adding some at home weight training in. We don't have a huge selection of heavier weights but some weight has got to be better than none!!0
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Hey, all the not-that-heavy girls! How is everyone doing? I am doing pretty well eating and not drinking this week. I am sticking with the workout plan, and feeling it in my abs and legs today!
Also, I booked a reward boudouir photo shoot for Jan 28, so that will be the end of Phase 2 of the plan for me. Maybe a professional will be able to capture my progress!
And in news that annoys me, the salon where I go for waxing is now selling HCG. I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it's like this stupid weight loss scam that takes advantage of people and I am thinking of writing them and letting them know how I feel...0 -
Welcome to the new challengers!! Also, welcome back Shannon! We missed you! All the new goals look great Happy to see so many people pushing themselves and here to cheer each other on :happy:
Amy - yes, I've seen the article, thanks. I'm good with the cardio I do because it's like HIIT, but I also have no choice cuz I teach the classes. Fortunately, I haven't had any negative affects of said cardio
lol
So I had my first session back with my trainer today and the workout itself was great. The measurements on the other hand were not. I know I haven't had them done since last July and I k now I slacked on tracking once school started again and I know I had to be essentially inactive for 4 weeks following surgery coupled with the holidays and my birthday...but DAMN, I was not expecting the numbers I saw today
. I'm totally depressed :sad: BUT using it to work even harder to make progress and achieve my goals :devil: . So, maybe in 2 weeks when I get remeasured, I will post where I started today.
Hope you all are having a great week!0 -
Wow, there is NOT enough "good news" on this thread (today)...
mama - maybe the weigh in will be better than you think. I know you have been working REALLY HARD!
asjerven, a "boudoir" shoot sounds, well, like a REAL DEADLINE!! Good for you for writing it down and just going for it. I think that is a really great idea! Sorry about the HCG - i think you should write a letter.
jenomaha - YOU, of all people, are NOT allowed to be "down on yourself". You are AWESOME!! Plus, if you had great measurements in July, you KNOW FULL WELL, that you can achieve those, again. So, be kind to yourself....I know you'll kick your own *kitten*, so just go get the work-outs done!
Me, I did HIIT today. 20 minutes. Stretching (which felt good). Tomorrow it's back to weights. I swear, if I get SOME of the results that people are posting on these boards, in 5-6 months, I'll be golden. I really will. 0 -
I did write my letter letting them know how I felt about HCG :explode: and told them I would happily return as a customer if they reconsider:flowerforyou:
To second Beeps, and what I wrote on your profile, Jen, you know what you CAN do and WILL do it. I am enjoying your facebook posts as well.0 -
Thank you ladies. I am sorry my post earlier wasn't as peppy as they usually and I didn't address everyone. I was just so down on myself. It happens to all of us. I had a kicka$$ class tonight and I feel better now
Amy, glad you got the boudoir scheduled again!!! I'd like to schedule a fitness portrait session. You will have so much fun doing it and I know will look fabulous!! Oh and thanks for the props on my FB page I love doing it!
Beeps, how ya liking the HITT? oh and stretching...such a great thing to do...I need to do it more. I have no doubts you will see the results you are looking for!!
Mama, you have been working hard...remember scale is only one unit of measurement :bigsmile: IF and only IF it doesn't move, I'm sure you're progressing in other ways!!
Alright ladies...I got some eating to do!!0 -
Thanks ladies for the comments. Jen's right the scale is only one movement. Not big on worrying about that. Something about that scale just helps validate that you are doing the 'right things' even though it doesn't necessarily mean that! Keep pluggin away.
Beeps- Great attitude. You'll keep pushing towards those goals and be 'golden' in no time!!
Jen- Glad the KA class helped you get back into your normal 'peppy' mood!! Hope all that cooking you did this weekend carried you through the week!!
Amy- The shoot always sounds so fun. You'll have to tell us how it goes afterwards. I'm sure DH will love to check out your 'progress'!!0 -
I'm jumping in here as well. Been reading this thread for a couple weeks but with the holidays and traveling - well, I just didn't join in. But I'm having a great week and I want to carry that motivation, so for the next 2 weeks my goals are:
1) keep my calories UP and keep working on 40/30/30 macros
2) do spin class and body pump 2x per week each in addition to my running
3) I weighed this morning (and am down 1.2lbs - yay!!) so I would like to stay off the scale (I tend to be a daily-weigher) and weigh myself no more than 1-2x per week0 -
Those are GREAT 2-week challenge goals, ebaymommy....good for you!
jen - I don't know if I can say that I *like* HIIT, yet....but, I am progressing at it. And that is a positive thing. In NROL4W, it is a 2-minute recovery after a 1-minute HIIT. I'm doing this on the elliptical. The first time, I had both the speed at 8 and the incline at 8 for the "recovery" and the speed at 13 and the incline at 13 for the "HII". And I did that for 15 minutes. The second time, I had both the speed at 9 and the incline at 9 for the "recovery" and the speed at 14 and the incline at 14 for the "HII". I did that for 15 minutes. I then decided that, realistically, "8" is the RIGHT recovery for me, just now (with a hope to move up to 10 by the end of the month). So, I'm now doing "8" as the recovery, and I did "15" as the "HII" today!!
My goal with HIIT is to try and bump up SOMETHING each and every time I'm on that elliptical. It would be GREAT if my "recovery" is at 10 and my HII is at, say, 18 - and I can do this for 20 minutes, by the end of the month.
I am doing HIIT 5 days a week, just now. For 10-12 minutes after my M/W/F weight-training and then for 20 minutes on T/Th. I sure miss my steady-state cardio, and that is TOTALLY because I find it "easier". Then I just remind myself that I'm in the middle of a "CHALLENGE". (I am - on JPFitness Forum.) Girl, this is a CHALLENGE - it isn't SUPPOSED to be easy (or everyone would be doing it...) - so, with that mind-set, I'm just going to give 'er over the next few months.0
