40+ Club: Hop Into Spring With A Fit Bod

mkwood10

Hello all - I'm still alive and doing OK.
Stable at 125-126, which is surprising considering how little I've worked out the last 3 weeks............

Things have been totally crazy around work for the past month, and getting busier every day.:frown: I don't see a slowdown in sight until probably June......sigh........guaranteed job security????

I've also been on a wallpaper stripping binge at home. I stripped the dining room and family room, then had to scrub all the glue off the walls so they can be patched and painted. I swear - I will NEVER put wallpaper up in my house again.........it's just NOT WORTH THE HASSLE OF STRIPPING IT OFF LATER!!!!:laugh: :laugh: The walls were papered in 1997 and I was just tired of looking at them, plus the paper had started to peel in a few places. Of course, I promised my husband that it'll all be finished before he gets home the beginning of next month........so no rest for the wicked procrastinator in April!! :laugh: First coat completed yesterday, so 2nd coat tonight and tomorrow night, and then on to paint the kitchen - they all wrap together so I need to continue with the new paint. Kitchen will be a pain in the rear..........small strip of wall between counter tops and bottom of hanging cabinets, plus soffits and 1 small wall with a door in the middle of it. I admit it.............. I wasted a LOT of time in Home Depot last week trying to decide what color to paint the walls and.........what kind and color of counter tops I want once the hubby gets home. So many choices.............it's really hard to decide!:laugh: :laugh:

Anyhow, I hope you've all been doing OK; I don't have time to read the posts from the last 3 weeks:frown: :frown: .

I'm down to less than 30 days til the hubby gets home, and I've accepted that there's no way I'm going to make the 120 pound goal, but my body shape has definitely gotten smaller and I'm back into some of my pre-2008 Iraq deployment clothes. :happy: I can live with that. I feel OK about myself and I think I can maintain at 125, so that is now my focus. I'm not ready to change my ticker until the hubby gets home, but then I will change it to maintaining 125.

Enjoy the sunshine if you've got it.........spring has definitely sprung!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Swissmiss

mkwood, you have 30 days and only 5 go 6 pounds to lose. Don't give up hope. You can do it and be a wonderful example for the rest of us.

I am so grateful for this thread. I have looked over other ones and have not found what I need. A lot of them seem to be not trying at all and the only update they give in on what soap opera they have been watching.:laugh:

I did well today. Stayed within my calories, rode my bike to strength class and then home. Fortunately, I got home before the storm hit.

StiringWendel

Hi everybody!

singfree, you brought up some excellent points about how the body is always changing. I sometimes forget I'm entering that period of life where my body is going to change almost as much as it did when I was in my teens, and I probably shouldn't be over-looking that fact at all. Like you said, I'm going to do my best, and I know for a fact that my best will never be perfect!

Speaking of not being perfect, like you zebras, I ate a big salty meal on Sunday. Yikes. I think I must have gained 7 pounds from it. The salt is slowly leaving my body, but it sure served as a reminder why I don't do that very often. But, like alf said, drinking lots of water and avoiding more salt is helping.

alf, like you, I don't want to go back to where I was two years ago (or, worse yet, three years ago :noway: ). But I think there is a happy place where I can be healthy without obsessing about my weight. I think the worst thing about where I was back a few years ago was that I wasn't at all healthy. I can't imagine doing that to myself again. Like this weekend, now when I eat one unhealthy meal, I feel it for days. Back then, I didn't know the cause of why I felt so poorly all of the time. So I'm beginning to trust that I won't go back simply because I'm better educated than I was, and I can better feel the ill effects of my choices on my body than I once did. I imagine you are in a similar place.

JuliaSoCal, isn't it amazing how good somethings taste when you haven't had them for awhile? I was off sweets for months last year (about six months or so), and I remember eating one single chocolate chip when I was making a batch of cookies after that period. And I thought I had died and gone to heaven that chocolate chip tasted so good. :laugh: Now....I want the whole cookie. :ohwell:

Swissmiss, I'm glad your daughter is safely with you. Good job on the bike rides!!

mk, good to see you! Again, you are doing so great given everything you are going through right now. I have no doubt your husband will be impressed when he gets home. 30 days?!? How exciting!! :drinker:

All here is well. I didn't have the best eating weekend, but I'm okay with that. I'm back on track now. I did get up and do two tough workouts on Easter Sunday before brunch, and then my husband and I went for a seven mile walk that afternoon. So even though I ate poorly, I at least remained active. I'm in my last two weeks of this rotation of STS and am really pushing some heavy weights right now. My body is definitely going to enjoy the break from strength training in a couple of weeks, but I'm getting great results in my arms right now. No doubt, my body likes lifting heavy weights. I just wish they didn't hurt so much to lift. :laugh:

We had a really wonderful event to attend in Seoul last night. We got a free tour of the National Museum of Korea (it was closed to the general public and we got a private walk-through), which is just a spectacular place. I think the London Times rates it as the best museum in Asia. It was so amazing to be able to see it without any crowds. Then the Korean-American Friendship Association put on a free concert featuring some wonderful classical musicians from Korea. All in all, it was a spectacular evening. Of course, that meant dinner out again last night, so I'm not back to my usual eating patterns yet. But I'm going to try to re-focus on lower carbs again for the remainder of the week to see, once again, how my body reacts. We leave for Hawaii two weeks from today :drinker: . I tried on a bikini this weekend. :noway: I'm thinking I'll opt for something else to wear on the beach. :laugh:

Hope this finds everybody doing well!

singfree

Good morning!

Ladies, I think that we are all much better educated about health and fitness today. As Stiring said, we can't imagine going back to the "old" body when we know how great we feel in the "new" body!!!

Finding and utilizing a life-long pattern of nutrition and exercise that is doable is the problem. I don't think that any of us wants to sit down daily and micro-manage our lives. Yes, it is necessary when we had weight issues, but there just HAS to be a better and easier way to live day to day without weighing, measuring and monitoring everything.

Fitness and good health should be a mindset, not an obsession. I don't want it to consume my life. I'm to the point that life is too short to worry about it. If I can work out a system that fits my needs and goals without interfering with my life, great! I really think that this can be done. Most of it is my diet. I really love to exercise. Exercise has never and will never be a problem for me. Thank goodness! I'm planning for a healthy and active retirement (in 10 years).....


Have a great day!

alf1163

Hello friends!!! I am bored to death at work right now. :laugh: Not much to do and I really dont want to do anything related to work!!! :laugh: I am listening to my Zumba music right now and thinking of my class tonight. That always motivates me. I did P90X plyo this morning. I did not go all out since I am teaching tonight...need to save my energy!! :happy:

Swiss, glad to hear your daughter and family are staying with you. :flowerforyou:

MK, great to hear from you!!! I am glad your husband will be home soon!!! You are really burning extra calories doing all that housework!!! :noway:

Sing, thank you for all your encouragement. I have never been obsessed about my nutrition nor my exercise. If I wear I wouldnt be where I am at right now. As Stiring said, my body is going through changes and I want to be prepared for that. I dont want the "I am just getting old" to be an excuse for gaining weight, etc. Like you, I am thankful I love to exercise. If I didnt I would be in some serious trouble. My main problem is controlling what I eat and how much of it I eat. One of my issues is that when I "treat" myself I just go all wild and lose control. To give you an example, at Sea World on Saturday with my daughter, did I have to eat Nachos, popcorn and a huge ice cream waffle cone??? Then at home, did I have to eat the entire bag of Robin eggs??? NO!!!! You see??? So I really have to take care of these issues...

Stiring, I cannot imagine you not being able to wear a bikini. I am sure that with patience you will be able to find one that you like. What works best for me are halter tops and bottoms with strings so you can adjust them to fit your body better. So you would have to buy them separately.

Have a great day!!! :flowerforyou:

Swissmiss

sing, you are right...we are better educated about our health and how to properly eat in order to live healthy. I hope that we all stay on course for the rest of our lives. Now, does anyone know how to get teenagers to eat healthy????

I believe that once again I am back on track. I need to lose the pounds that I have put on over the past two months and am getting a good start at it. Does anyone know if I can tell how much of my weight gain is due to more muscles? I am sure that some of it is. I really do see and feel a difference with my muscles.

singfree

Swiss, the only real way to know how much muscle you have is to get it done professionally. There is another method which you use calipers to measure skin folds on various parts of your body, but unless you really know what you are doing, it may not be very accurate. This is precisely the reason why scales tend to "lie" a lot!!! If a person does not know how much fat and muscle is in the body's composition, the scale is a fairly useless tool. My motto has always been that if I look lean and my clothes fit well, who cares what I weigh?

Putting it another way: A professional football player who is 5'10" and weighs 210 lbs is considered obese if he used only the scale and BMI. This same player has only 5% body fat......

I know we are not elite athletes, but the theory is a sound one.

Alf, I go overboard on treats too!! I never know when to say STOP!!!!

I'm going to take a long bike ride after work (20-25 miles), since it is a sunny 80 degress today. I did a lower body and abs workout at lunch.

Enjoy the day!

mkwood10

Hello everybody! I hope you're all enjoying the same beautiful weather that I have here in windy Kansas...........but maybe without the strong wind?:laugh: :laugh: It's in the low 80's right now and beautiful, but nasty thunderstorms are starting to pop up. Hope they hold off until I get home tonight or my poor dog will be a quivering wreck in the dog house!!:noway:

Just spent over an hour walking all over campus delivering packets to members of an advisory council.....what a beautiful way to get in a good walk.....75 minutes in all and paid for all of it :bigsmile: :bigsmile: Thank goodness I keep a pair of running shoes under my desk - it's quite a hike across campus, and lots and lots of stairs involved too!!!

Alf and Sing.....I hear you both on the out of control snacking, but I've found a way that seems to work for me.......... take a specific portion, put it into a bowl/cup/plate, close the the original container, put it away in the cupboard/fridge, and leave the kitchen area!!!! It works for me!! That way I know in advance how much I'm going to allow myself to have and I'm not as tempted to get more if I have to actually get the box/container back out and open it back up......

Stiring........keep looking at different styles of bikinis............there's got to be something out there you'll feel good about yourself in! Myself, I suck it up every year and buy one new Victoria's Secret suit. Yes, they're expensive, but they fit well, the tops are almost all available in bra sizes, you can buy tops and bottoms separately and they last forever!!! I've got a couple of suits that are 4-5 years old, and they get used every weekend of the summer at the lake. I'll admit the bikinis didn't get worn last summer, but I was able to buy a couple of tankini tops that coordinated with bottoms I already had.

Swiss, check with your local health department or county extension office about getting a body analysis done. You may be surprised to find that you can get one done fairly inexpensively, especially if there's a college near you.

Hello to everyone else - I'll get a chance to read back thru the posts one of these days and catch up on everyone.

Swissmiss

This is the third time I have tried to post. I keep hitting a wrong key and everything is gone.

mkwood, that is a good idea and the YMCA offers body analysis free with my membership. I also joined a workshop for $50 that was to also do this. I am not getting anything in the workshop that I was promised. I can't even find the lady in charge to have her weigh me. I learned my lesson on that one. What a waste of money.

sing, thank you also for your reply. I think that I do look rather trim with the exception of the bulge right above my middle. If I could lose about 10 pounds it would leave.

StiringWendel

singfree, I love how you said in your post that health and fitness should be a mindset, not an obsession. For me, too often, I cross the line into obsession, and it isn't good for me. I, like you, don't want this to consume all aspects of my life. It was my New Year's resolution to figure out how to make this work in good balance, and I'm still trying to figure it out.

Because, like you alf, when I choose to 'treat' myself, I go way overboard. I could make your list of foods from this past weekend look like a clean eating diet day if I were to outline some of my days over the past few months. :blushing: The strange thing for me is I've never been a binge eater, so this is a new phenomenon for me. I'm thinking I've carried the deprivation thing too far, so I'm swinging the other way as a result. That's why I'm implementing a maintenance diet. I really think that maintenance diet is all about changing my mindset and not really anything I'm eating on a normal day. But I'm going to let myself have a sweet every day if I want it (a couple hundred calories). I started that this week, and I had a little chocolate on Monday when we were in Seoul. And that's all I wanted. And I've thought about having some over the past couple of days, but I didn't have any strong cravings or feel like I needed any, so I didn't. I'm hoping that giving myself some things I enjoy a little more often will cut down on those binges. I'll let you know if it works.

Swissmiss, getting teens to eat healthy is a challenge. I listen to alot of podcasts and read alot of books on health and nutrition, and this is often a topic of conversation. The first thing, of course, is to keep as much of the unhealthy foods out of the house as possible. Of course, teens are going to find their own food, so that only goes so far. But, by and large, most 'experts' say that you should never really mention weight to kids because they rebel when you do that. If anybody watched last season's Biggest Loser, Daniel was a good example of that. So I don't think there is an easy solution to the teenager and healthy eating problem. But you work as a good example to them, and I think that is the best thing you can be doing.

Thanks alf and mkwood for your recommendations on bikinis. The one I tried on was meant for somebody 30 years younger than me, that's for sure. But I'm going to keep looking. I haven't been in a bikini since I was a teen. I've only been in a swimsuit a couple of times since then, so the sheer notion of shopping for a bikini is quite new for me. But I'm going to keep looking, and if I need to get one in Hawaii, I'll get one there. Thanks again for the help in trying to figure out the best way to buy one/best places to shop for one.

I'm having a pretty good week, though I feel a bit tired this week. But I did a good cardio kickboxing workout this morning. We are finally into spring now, and I went for a long walk this afternoon to enjoy the weather. My eating has been good this week even though my schedule has been a bit unpredictable. I'm definitely not going to be in my best shape when we get to Hawaii, but I am going to be in MUCH better shape than I was when we were there three years ago at this time (and two years ago when we were there again at this time). I have one photo of my husband and I from three years ago on my computer, and on those days when I start feeling a bit down about how I look, I pull up that photo and it serves to remind me how much weight/size I have lost. I should probably post it on my fridge because maybe that would keep the binge eating at bay!! Probably not....because when I'm in my 'I must have peanut butter and chocolate' mode, I'd probably look at the photo and say to myself 'I looked darned good!' and then dive head first into the Jif jar. :laugh:

Hope everybody has a good day!

singfree

Good morning!

Another hot one here in PA with a high of 85...yay!!! Normal highs are around 60, so I'm loving it.

Another thing I'm loving is a half-day vacation today. We are going to enjoy the day together and have a nice lunch at "Viva" in Reading. The good boy that I am, I'm having a strawberry-walnut salad with grilled chicken. I don't want to be too full or sluggish for exercising afterward.

Speaking of teen eating, I really think that the schools and parents share the blame. I am appalled when I see overweight parents and their overweight kids eating fast food and buying all kinds of junk at the supermarket. I am growing tired of reports saying that it is cultural, economic, lack of education...BS!!!!!!!! Just like everything else in this life, it's all about choice. It's too easy to be the poor "victim". Do you mean to tell me that it is easier to order fried chicken and burgers over a healthy salad or sandwich? No way! It's conditioning, it's a mindset, it's a fundamental change in lifestyle. But ultimately it's a CHOICE.

I watched Jamie Oliver the other day. He was in a school in W.Virginia. The kids didn't even know how to use a fork. The school did not provide them. All of the food was pizza, tacos and assorted other junk food. If this is how the schools and local governments are teaching our young people, we are in deep trouble. In years to come everyone will be riding around in one of those "Zazzy" scooters instead of walking. As you can tell, this stuff really fires me up!

Sister Stiring, you will look spectacular in your new bathing suit! I know it might be tough to find the right one in Korea, but my wife has had good luck with Lands End bathing suits. Also, did you know that Jif PB is a good hair conditioner? :laugh:

MK, thanks for the tip about snacking. When I portion things out, I usually do much better. Sometimes I will do that with wine. I will pour some in a measuring cup and have only that much. It's amazing how much a person can consume when not thinking about it. That's why we stay away from buffets. I can put away 3 days worth of calories in one sitting!

Have a great day

zebras

Good Morning All. Mayor Sing we are enjoying the same warm weather you are. Wish I didn't have to be at work all day!

Stiring: Land's End has the mix and match 2-piece bathing suits, most of the tops are the tankini style with more coverage, but they have at least one shorter top that gives you a little more coverage than a string bikini, and some really attractive fabrics. I haven't been able to wear a bikini since I was 12. I do love the whole tankini concept though because it makes wearing a bathing suit so much easier. Its a pain to get in and out of a one-piece!

Sing, If I lived in your area of PA, I would never be able to change my eating habits! I remember Lebanon Bologna from when i went to college there. Then years later, when my Mom and I were visiting the area, we got free chocolate from the Hershey's tour, then free chocolate from Hershey Lodge, and we ate at the Good N Plenty. Ironically I was one of the few freshman who lost weight instead of gaining weight.

singfree

Zebras, did you go to Lebanon Valley College in Annville? I live about 30 miles NE of there. Those PA Dutch restaurants will give you much more than you could possibly eat! I used to eat a lot of Lebanon Bologna when I was a kid at home, but we rarely buy cold cuts anymore.

zebras

Sing:

Yes, I did. Didn't last a year, though. It was a beautiful place to go to school. During pledge week some of the guys even brought a horse up the stairs in one of the dorms. When I was there, we were lucky if the football team ran the ball in the right direction. I have some fond memories, I just wasn't meant to be in college at the time.

crispy1990

Hi Everyone :flowerforyou:

Gosh you guys have been busy while I was away. I hope you all had a good Easter.
Mine was very busy, 20 of the family went to a house in France for the 4 day break. It is amazing how they suddenly lose the use of their arms & legs when there is someone else to do the work. I don't think I sat down except to eat, for the entire time. Luckily the weather was ok and we got some museums and walking in.
Back on track now, I have got a lot to lose by the end of July.

karen
x

alf1163

Buenos dias!!!!! Busy morning already! My son is in therapy right now so taking some time to post... the ChaLean workout this morning kicked my behind!!!! I still feel it!!! I have been doing well with my eating since Monday but it is too early to tell if I will keep this longer....that did not sound too positive. I need to have more self confidence...

MK and Stiring, speaking of bikinis, I just got my VS swimsuit catalogue. I like getting ideas but I really dont like buying clothes or shoes online or throuh a catalogue. I would hate to have to return it and pay shipping fees. Stiring, I know you will find a nice bikini in Hawaii!!!! I bought my last ones at Old Navy. I do want to say that I like shopping for swimsuits now and clothes in general.

Swiss, how about getting older kids to eat healthy???? My daughter is 25 yrs old and eats very badly. And unfortunately, she feeds the same to her daughter!!!! She once told me that I fed her the same foods when she was younger. Ouch!!! That hurt!! And it is true...but I told her that I did not know any better then and that I do now. And she sees that example now...I guess it will take time. All I can do is be patient and I think she will figure it out on her own.

Sing, I totally agree with you. It is incredible the kinds of foods that are being served in schools. They really lack on teaching children to eat healthy and to take care of their bodies physically and mentally through exercise. Many schools nowadays do not have PE everyday. And yes, it should be a shared effort with schools and parents.

Well, I'd better go now...

Have a wonderful day!!!

pepper06

I thought the takini was a great concept! I don't think I was made for a bikini-wide hip bones, so I don't think it looks right. I am just one of those that do not have a body for it. I really like the takini that I purchased for LL Bean. I did the treadmill on Mon. yesterday was some cardio and weight exercies, and today will be cardio.
Does anyone know why when I log in the exercise in mfp that is not under the cardio category that it does not show up as exercise under the food? Is there something I am not entering correctly? One is still burning calories and using muscles. I was just wondering.

I saw part of that show with Jamie Oliver too, but missed the begining....thought it was interesting the discussion involving the salad. I wonder if there are issues in his child's school cafe...hmmmm.

JifPB in the hair sounds sticky.....is it the brand OR any kind of PB?

Hope everyone has a nice warm day....wish I was off as my car needs a washing!

Texssippian

Hi all! Bluebonnets, Indian paint brushes and mexican hats are blooming herein north Texas. Azalias in the front of my office building are blooming. Not sure how long they have been in bloom because it has been dark when I have gotten to work every day the last two weeks. Have had a parade of consultants who need to be bay-sat into the evening... Ugh! Have missed the trainer three weeks in a row now. Must get into gear for river aerobics and London this summer!

Regarding swimming suits, my days of bikinis are long gone. I wear a cheap tank suit from Walmart with a sports bra under it (much cheaper than buying a suit with adequate support on the top...) and I wear running shorts over the suit. Works great for me.
I need to get new water shoes for this summer. Probably get some real ones at a sporting goods store.

My mom was looking at two piece suits through LL Bean, but they were expensive. We bought her a running tank top with a built-in bra and running shorts with a built-in pany at Target last year. She loves them for doing her Silver Sneakers water walking classes.

I was proud of Easter dinner: spinach and strawberry salad with raspberry vinaigrette, yellow cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, roasted turkey breast, steamed broccoli and asparagus, made from scratch mashed sweet potatoes with orange zest and ground pecans and angle food cake with strawberries and blackberries topped with a little no fat strawberry yogurt.

Need to go! Take care all! TxMs

cardigirl

Morning everyone!!! Sing, Alf, and Stiring, I love the discussion going on about fitness as a mindset and not an obsession. I'm trying to find the balance myself. I love working out, but really don't want to overdo. Some might think I'm a LOOONG way from overdoing it, but I think listening to your own body and educating yourself as much as possible goes a long way towards giving you the power to stay fit and healthy. We (women) are ingrained to think of ourselves in terms of how much we weigh or what we look like and we have to remind ourselves that being strong and healthy is a better goal. If we look better for doing that, it's a bonus!!! :bigsmile:

Do your best and leave the rest. I think that will be my mantra for now!

We're having glorious weather here in the Boston area today. I get to go to the Red Sox game tonight!!! Yay!!!! And I am going to have a beer AND a sausage sandwich or something. Heh. I don't get to go to many games, so I'll be indulging tonight.

Alf, I hear you on getting older children to eat better. My son is 26 and toothpick thin, and eats terribly. He eats very little fruits and vegetables, mostly pizza, waffles, eggs, cheese, etc. You get the idea. Along with soda, sugar, caffeine. I'm hoping my example rubs off on him too. Sigh. It's sometimes very hard to watch, and not say something all the time.

I've watched the Jamie Oliver show, and I love it. It is a reality tv show, so of course it's edited for dramatic effect, but I love how he's trying to show the kids a better way to eat. He picked Huntington, West Virginia, because it was deemed the most unhealthy city in the U.S. He campaigned in England to get them to change up the school lunch programs there and was very successful, which is why he's trying to do it in the States. I hope that he's able to get the message out. He is fun to watch though.

Swissmiss

:mad: I have something to say about the food at the schools.:mad: They actually have soda pop machines there now. And instead of having the meat, potato and veggie lunches that I had in school, they have what looks like several unhealthy snacks. And they call it "lunch" ? Last year I packed for my girls but then I found out that they were throwing most of it away. So, they are back to buying whatever the school offers.

Doing very good at staying away from the Easter chocolates. I am also not missing any of the classes I am signed up for at the Y.