- WHAT WORKS FOR ME -

RealWomenLovePitbulls

I set out with a goal of toning up and being in better shape - dropping a couple of pounds, but nothing drastic as I started at 127
Let me stop there and give a short background - I was always scrawny when I was young, I could eat and eat, but I stayed under 100lbs no matter what I did and then I turned 20, all the sudden in the course of a couple years, I went from 95 lbs to almost 130, so for me (and those around me who don't realize what their comments imply to me), that was a big change.
I now have a little poochy belly, which I am not fond of, but I also have trouble staying motivated, at times.
I JOINED A GYM- but it didn't work for me, I was forced to go there directly from work, and I was so tired that I didn't feel much like working out, I wasn't going, so I cancelled my membership.
I BOUGHT AN ELLIPTICAL - a cheap little air one ($100) and it works great, tho I've had it several months and have only in the last couple weeks starting really using it. It works for me way better than going to the gym because I can use it whenever I want, and I don't feel like people are watching me.
I STARTED TAKING A DAILY MULTI-VITAMIN - I was low on energy, I take one-a-day+energy and after about 2 weeks, my energy levels went up and I dropped 5 lbs (this is before starting to work out) I decided while I was down 5lbs, it was a good time to start working out again!
I DON'T DIET- I haven't changed the foods that I eat, I love cheese, and sour cream, and lately have been stuck on Root Beer Floats. The only thing I have changed is that I was not eating breakfast before, and now I eat something small - Special K granola bars, or something similar in the morning before work. Whatever we have for dinner is what I take to work for lunch the next day, but we eat steak, we eat lots of mexican food, burgers, whatever we want - I like veggies, so I eat plently of those. I don't eat chips or snack cakes or things like that, this is not a change for me though, I just don't like those things. If I want a candy bar though, I have a candy bar, no big deal, I do not deprive myself, but I don't snack a lot. I eat my small breakfast, regular lunch and dinner, and sometimes a treat, but I don't spend the day snacking at all. I also rarely drink pop or coffee, it's mostly water for me, which is also not a change, it's just what I like.
DAILY EXERCISE- I use my elliptical 10-30 min. a day, pretty much for however long I feel like it that day. I read somewhere that if you don't feel like working out, do 10 minutes and if you're still not feeling it after that, stop. I try to strive for 30, but sometimes I feel half dead at 20, or have something else going on and 10 is all I can manage. My favorite exercise is taking the dog out for a walk every day - we walk our neighborhood, which takes about 30 minutes, and it's just a nice time to think about things and enjoy some fresh air and give the pooch some exercise as well.
ALL-IN-ALL - that's what I do. I have an active job (taking care of the elderly) - I take the stairs when possible (which is something that I have always done) the only things I have changed are: take a daily mulit-vitamin, walk the dog and use the elliptical, and eat something small at the beginning of my day!
IT WORKS FOR ME- as I said, I was at 127 at the start of this, lost 5 lbs just by taking a vitamin and adding a small "breakfast" in my day, and since starting my "exercises" just a week ago, I have dropped another 1 and 1/2 lbs!

RealWomenLovePitbulls

for my own future reference, a couple days ago i started upping the water intake and eating Activia Light yogurt for breakfast.