Week 3 - Fitness Goals and Checking In

Lucy_Monroe

Wow...can you believe it's been two weeks already? Time flies when you're trying to get a book in by deadline! :laugh: LOL

Anyway, how'd we all do with our Fitness Goals last week? I noticed a lot of you set exercise goals for yourself last week. Did you meet them? Come close? Try *really* hard? How is it going keeping your food diaries? Like Erin Nicholas said, it's more fun putting in our exercise than our food, but both are necessary to stay on top of the transition to a healthier lifestyle.

I managed to get my extra strength training in (Yippee!) and am still working on my sleep pattern. My lab results will be in tomorrow and we'll adjust my thyroid accordingly.

As for goals for this week - I REALLY need to finish my current WIP which means I need to write...A LOT. So, my goal this week is to write a minimum of 20 pages a day while eating on schedule and still getting my exercise in. :happy: I'm counting on you all to hold me accountable on all of that for both my physical health's sake and my mental health. (If I don't get this book done ASAP I'm going to lose my mind! :sad:)

Hugs and best wishes on meeting your goals this week!
Lucy
http://lucymonroe.com

jenifer315

I met my goal of adding 3 days of strength training to my week. I did a kettlebell DVD 1 day and did 3 sets of 12 squats, lunges and crunches for the other 2 days. I did 6 zumba classes and my z fit group training class also.

I did okay on adding more water to my day. I drank about 8 to 9 glasses a day.

This week, I want to continue on increasing my water intake. I also want to see about switching up my diet. I want to see what happens when I add more fruit to my diet as a substitue to the 2 yogurts I eat a day. I think dropping to 1 yogurt a day may help me drop more weight.

Jenny

Jafdustys

I did better then I thought I would since I hurt my neck. But I realized I could still exercise but modify it a bit.
My goal for this week is so do some core exercises in the am.

Piper110

I made it to the gym 6 days this week, ended with about 60+ minutes of cardio and I just added some strength training to the work out so that is about another 25 minutes. So at this point I am happy with how things are going. I have never had a problem with drinking water, I just think I may have to cut back on some. I have a 32 oz. bottle that I fill and empty any where from 4-6 times a day. Usually at least 6 times when I work a full shift at work then off to the gym after that. I have discovered the Berry/Pomegranate flavor of MiO which is delicious! and there are no calories, carbs or sugar in MiO to worry about!

valeriecozart

Wow week 3 already, how amazing is that? I had an epiphany mid-week and realized that my goal of going to the gym three times just wasn't working for me. I did make it to the gym a couple of times but I am starting to realize I don't really like being at the gym. So while the weather is great I'm getting outdoors as much as possible and hiking, walking, and in general enjoying the sunshine. I've added Wii exercise workouts - Just Dance 2, 3, Gold Gym's Dance Workout to my workouts to keep things lively and different. I find it helps if I vary my workout because getting on a treadmill for 30 minutes doesn't work for me. I suddenly develop exercise ADD and start bouncing between machines. 2 mins on the walker, 2 minutes on the stair climber, etc. It's not pretty. The only good thing is that I'm still moving. LOL And the other thing that bothers me at the gym, and I know it's a big part of my anxiety, is that everyone at the gym is so flipping thin and in shape already that it makes me feel like I'm being judged. I'm sure everyone is just working out, but my social anxiety kicks in and then it's unbearable staying there for long. I do want to try working out at the pool at the gym and see if that works for me. If it does I'll keep the membership if not, I'm going to have to reevaluate.

This week my goal (because I have to go into the actual office a few days) is to keep eating right and exercise 30 mins every day. We have visitors, so it's always a challenge with all the social things going on. And one person at work likes to make cake pops for everyone. Last time I looked up the calories and that was enough of a deterrent for me. They really aren't diabetic friendly at work even though there are two or three of us with the big D.

CidTyer

Ug, the last two weeks have prevented me checking in. Sorry guys!

Today I'm starting my Jenny Craig diet. I'm surprised by it, and interested to see how it will work out. It's reducing my daily calories to 1,200. I don't know how to change it in my profile here.

I'm also going to try to go to the park down the street from me and walk a few afternoons this week while the weather is still nice.

Lucy_Monroe

This is great! I love hearing how hard everyone is working to meet their goals. Valerie...it's a smart woman who realizes when her goals need to be tweaked. When I first started this in January, the personal trainer I consulted and myself sort of pressured me into coming to the gym more and working on the machines. It took me a couple of weeks to realize that didn't work for me at all. That while I truly enjoyed going to water aerobics, I dreaded going to the gym and the exercise there wasn't fun for me. How long was I going to keep it up if I disliked the whole experience so much? I bought some more Denise Austin workouts, fixed up an area in my garage and am having so much fun keeping up my workouts that way. Like you, I'm also enjoying getting outside more now that we've got weather that permits it and even encourages it on some days!

The key to setting goals is spending time evaluating them and making them work for us. Sometimes the only goal we need to set is to continue doing what we are doing...it's not always about adding stuff on, or cutting more out foodwise, you know?

Oh...and Cid...you change your caloric intake under the Goals tab on the computer, or under More and then Edit Profile on the smartphone.

Hugs,
Lucy

DebraParmley

Last week was rough because of the challenges of the RT convention. I started off with great intentions and a firm decision to stick with the healthy eating, drinking water and exercise. Then things started to go wrong.

The first problem I ran into was not sleeping on the train on the way up. At all. And the train left Memphis at 11 pm on Tue. and got in at 9 am on Wed. The dining car was open for breakfast but the seats were all full and they couldn't seat and serve me in time so I had to wait to eat. I got a hot cocoa in the snack bar. No healthy eating choices there. By the time I got a taxi to the hotel and checked in, it was already 10:30. I opted for a hot shower and room service breakfast which was more like brunch. Egg whites omelette, hash browns, orange juice and breakfast rolls. Then went to bed. Had to wake before 5:00 so I could go register and start attending events. Wasn't hungry for dinner and really just wanted to sleep, but had to keep pressing on.

That was pretty much the story of my week. Not enough sleep and pressing on. Water was an issue. It was hard to find. I'd go into one of the conference rooms and scan the room for water. It would be hidden off in a corner. You really had to hunt for it. The hotel had no other restaurants within walking distance so unless you took a cab or walked across the street to another conference hotel there were no other food options. The food was very salty. (I don't cook with salt,) My ankles started swelling and I kept having to go up to the room and elevate them. Couple of nights it hurt to walk. There was no pool to exercise in which was what I needed with the ankles. They had a small gym with machines but that really wasn't an option for me. My left ankle hurt when I walked. I did some yoga in my room but mostly kept the ankles up. Hotel air was drying everyone out and making our skin dry. That had to be contributing to dehydration. People were getting sick and losing their voices so I made sure to have a big glass of orange juice every morning and wash my hands often. One night I nearly lost my voice too, but there was a Starbucks in the hotel so you could get some soothing tea.

I lost track of what I was eating when and didn't keep up with logging anything in. I was doing well just to get the events I was required to be at and to find some sort of food at least two times a day. It felt like we did a lot of walking the way the hotel was spread out but I don't know how to measure that and lost track of it too. Frankly the whole week was challenging on a lot of levels.

This week I am still dealing with the aftermath of last week. Came home on the train Sunday night and again didn't sleep at all 9 pm to 6:30 am Monday am. Yesterday I spent much of the day sleeping.

So this week my goals are simple. Get caught up on sleep. Plenty of naps and going to bed for a long nights sleep every night. Drinking water. Getting in the the gym for the water exercise classes today Wed, Thur and Sat. Stretching.

I gained two lbs in Chicago so I'd like to take that RT weight back off and then some. But one thing at a time.

SerenaZane

Life has decided to step in a laugh in my face recently. Today is the first day I have actually been able to exercise for two weeks. I have almost completely cut out caffiene and bread from my diet as of last friday when I had a conversation with my doctor. I can't tell you how happy he is that I am participating in this with all of you. I am feeling much better this week and want to thank all of you for the continued support.

On a positive note, I have three contracts for new books this week, and a rewrite that I am working on. So, lots of editing while I also work on three new stories. I have taken to pacing at my desk at my day job to burn some calories at my sedantary station. I can only go as far as the phone cord that I laughingly call my "leash" allows me to go as I wear a headset, but it works. My workmates are very supportive as well.

My goal this week is to try and drop three more pounds and excercise at least three times for 45 min each time. I have five different workout videos and have cleared away space in my master bedroom to be able to workout where no one can see my flab flap around!

valeriecozart

Debra - this sounds exactly like my challenges when I travelled to DE a few weeks ago. I guess 2 lbs are the travel lb conversion. It sounds like you made the best of a very difficult situation. I never realized how difficult it was just to find water to drink when you are travelling. You would think, of all things, that it would be the easiest to find. But no, apparently we're living in some sort of Dune where water is scarce and precious. It also becomes quickly apparent that for a nation so focused on obesity and getting healthier that every where we end up having to travel is a health horror! Everything is so salty you can't eat it, or it's so sugary you can't eat it, or it's processed and you shouldn't eat it, or you don't know what they put in it and don't want to eat it! I am surprised we can eat out at all without gaining 10 lbs every time. It's insane and so frustrating when you are doing everything you can to be a healthier you and these types of challenges just keep getting thrown at you. Those 2 lbs should come off quickly and then you'll be back in the zone again. Hope you can get some rest and catch up on the missed sleep.

Serena - Congrats! Good luck on cutting the caffeine and bread. I know that can be pretty hard and admire you for taking that step. I love your idea of pacing at your desk. I'm going to try that this week. My job is pretty sedentary too, and for the past few weeks it seems like I am on back to back calls from the time I sign on until I sign off. I'm going to try pacing or walking since I have a cordless headset while I'm listening to calls and see if that helps. Good luck with the workouts!

momlina

I was in St Pete Fla for a wedding and had same problem. We had lots of water though. Hit a mini mart and bought a case. Unfortunately I had problems with the salt in the food also. Happens whenever I eat out.. 4 days of it does a number on my body. I swell so much it's painful!
I have been home 6 days and my rings are still too tight! But once that fluid goes down I'll be back to normal. Maybe then I'll show a weight loss instead of a gain.

momlina

My goal is to get back on treadmill on regular basis. I want to go upstairs when I go to bathroom instead of the one next o kitchen. I am trying to park in the back of lots instead of handicapped spots. I think I'll also try setting a timer to remember to eat.

samanthajayne13

I was able to meet some of my goals for last week. I was able to meet my goal of adding 5 minutes to each of my workouts each day. I did this my adding jump rope to my work out. Boy did it give me a workout. I also stayed on the treadmill longer too. The only goal I didn't really meet was to increase my water intake. I can't seem to drink 8 glasses of water every day, I get to 4 glasses and that's as far as I get. It could be because I don't really like the taste of plain water. This week I plan on trying to work out at least 45 minutes everyday instead of 30 or 35 minutes.

BarbaraJeanSmith

I was a slug on the weekend and didn't get in my extra exercise sessions. I am blaming the yucky weather but in reality I was just lazy. Have had some outside issues this past week and it has affected my thinking in a bad way. I know I will snap out of the funk soon. Things just have to run their course. So no I did not meet my goal from last week.

My goal for this week is to try and stay away from sugar as much as possible. If the exercise goals don't work out work more on the diet right? That's what I am thinking. So less sugar is my overall goal this week...so far so good.

I am staying pretty close to my calorie goals. have went over a few times but each time it is less than 200 calories and most times less than 100. If I could just get in the exercise mind set then an extra 10 to 20 minutes would take care of it in most cases.

This journey is a series of ups and downs and for the most part I have come to accept that so all will be on the bright side again soon.

lucy0326

I have been trying to keep my goal of sleeping 8 hours a night, the workouts I can do at least five a week, but the sleeping is my problem. My last semester before getting my associates and it seems like my schedule is going crazy! I dont sleep too much during the week but on weekends I sleep until my body cant sleep any more. This weeks goal is 8 hours of sleep plus trying to jog at least 5 min straight something I havent done since ...... EVER! but Im getting there wish me luck!

isabellabishop

I didn't do well last week with my cardio. I think I am doing well with my diet and strength exercises but have been having a hard time getting myself motivated to do my cardio. So that will remain my goal this week. I am hoping to kick my butt into shape.

DebraParmley

Valerie that is so true! Everything has salt and the hotels dry out our skin and then we can't find water! It did feel like being in the Desert! Oh my goodness I laughed out loud when I read that, it fit so well!

There has to be a better way.
I am seriously thinking of carrying some of my own food when I travel from now on. Apples, oranges, etc. There's water content in those too and then a cup that isn't too tall so I can refill it in with water in any sink.