Todays activity

SuperD06

So today I did drag myself and all 3 dogs out for a walk around the block. It was not fun since no one has really been outside our fenced yard. Needless to say I got a ton of upper body work as well as the cardio!!

I figure I will take this week and keep doing the block walk to I can move up to start the Couch to 5K program in the next 2 weeks.

jkelley37

Yay!!! Great job, SuperD!

I ran a 5k once about 4ish years ago. I have been mentioning to friends that I'd like to do another one now that I'm out of school and have time to train. Of course, I hadn't realized how much of a full-time gig it is to be a Step-Mom to two boys, either, but I'm hoping I can get there again anyway. Good luck on getting to your first 5k! You can do it!!

RRDewey

I am trying to figure out this site. It's a little weird that it accepts your own estimate of how much you need to lose. I noticed a group of teenagers with a really creepy picture--it reminds me of that thread on CoTH where someone started talking about how the "thigh gap" is the new craze among teen girls. Bleah. I teach college, and too many young women are totally obsessed with body image.

OK, at least we're not like that, right? I joined another site once similar to this one: fitday.com. You could track everything you put in your mouth and every little activity you did, including things like yard work and ironing. It was illuminating, but it took too much time. I got tired of entering that I ate thirteen grapes, seventeen pretzel sticks, etc. Sorry I sound like such a crab. I have to be more positive about this. I know I spend waaaaaay too much time sitting in front of the computer!

I haven't done any exercise yet except subbing for my department's softball team. That was a disaster. My arm was sore after playing a little catch, and I have completely lost any hitting eye I once had. I struck out twice!

I am going to walk around the block before going to church tonight, so at least that will be a start.

jkelley37

Dewey (sorry, I'm gonna have a hard time remembering real names here) - I have pretty much always used Fitday.com, and you're so right - it is enlightening. I guess I got used to the micro-managing of food from that site. What blew me away this morning with this site relates to the exercise stuff:

1) When you log strength training, you have to log every individual set and rep of every single different workout you did. :noway: I'm glad I sort of paid attention to what I was doing at the gym last night, or I would've been completely lost.

2) Your strength training doesn't count toward your weekly exercise goal. IMHO, strength training should totally count. It may not burn as many calories as cardio when you're doing it, but it's a long, slow burn - in other words, the more you strength train, the more you're going to rev your body up to *continue* burning calories long after you're finished with the workout.

Meh - whatever. Every site is a little different. I'm going to continue to track my workouts here and just not pay attention to whether the site says I'm hitting my workout goal or not.

.....

Last night I did my first workout and figured out my starting weight and measurements.

I went to the gym to workout. I was there for an hour, did a good 20 minutes of strength work, walked .5 miles, ran .75 miles, then did my cool-down stretches. At the end of it all, I weighed myself (I do hate weighing myself there because I'm clothed and it's at the end of the day, but no biggie - it's something to start with) and I updated my weight on here accordingly.

Tonight I'm hoping to get to the barn to play with the ponies. If I can get a good ride in on somebody that'd be great - that'll be the workout for tonight.

I hope everyone's doing great!!!

~Jenny~ (aka: ClassyRide)

d2jump

Okay, I'm still planning on my weigh-in day to be Friday. But I DID get on the spin cycle twice this week so far. That is a huge start for me! So I hope I can keep on track. If I can get two or three good weeks, I will be fine and eventually reach my goal. It's just those first weeks are soon hard.

Hope all of you are doing well. If not, try tomorrow!

d2jump

Yay! I actually lost 4 pounds this week! I'm happy that I have a start. I did get on my spin cycle 3 times this week and will likely ride one or two more days before the week is up.

I hope you are all doing well! I need help staying motivated.

jkelley37

Woo-hoo - way to go!!! That's awesome!!!

I haven't had a chance to weigh myself yet, but I did take measurements again this morning. Compared to a week(ish) ago, I have lost some inches, but I swear I must've measured wrong, either this morning or the time before, because it says I've lost quite a bit...

I actually measure 4 places: Chest, Waist, Belly (which is around my torso on the belly button), and Butt/Hips. Again, I swear I mustn't have measured correctly because here are the results:

Chest: - 1 inch
Waist: [stayed the same]
Belly: - 1/2 inch
Hips: [stayed the same]

But I don't think I honestly could've lost that much in one week. I guess I'll find out as time keeps going by here. Either way, it sucks that it always melts off of the top first when it's my apple butt that needs it gone! :laugh:

I hope everyone else is doing well! We can do this!!!

~Jenny~ (aka: ClassyRide)

SuperD06

Glad everyone is doing so well!!! I still need to go buy a scale so I can keep track. I have ridden Jack 3 times so far this week and taken the dogs for walks around the block twice this week. So not too bad of a start.

d2jump

Good job, SuperD and Classy! Classy, you never know! Just keep up the good work. Plus you are riding more and going to the barn which is great.

SuperD, I think riding is great exercise, and walking the dogs, awesome! I need to start taking my dogs to the greenway. My doctor seems to think walking and the treadmill are not the best for me to use as fitness. He said it is fine to stroll, but to get real exercise, do biking or rowing. Don't want to mess up my ankle any more than it was.

Keep up the good work!

Denise aka ParadoxFarm

jkelley37

I weighed myself at my parents' house this morning. Wow - I did lose 3/4 of a pound! That's not bad - at least I'm going in the right direction. Woo-hoo!

Great job everybody! I agree with Denise - riding really is great exercise. Anyone who doesn't think so has never ridden like we ride! Haha!

I'm so glad everyone is doing well! Keep up the great work - we'll all make our goals one day, one step, one activity at a time.

~Jenny~ (aka: ClassyRide)

d2jump

Great job, Jenny! That's awesome. Fun to see your number change on the little banner, isn't it?

This weekend I worked a lot around the house/barn. Lots of chores. Then we took the dogs for a walk on the greenway, which was nice. And I rode, which was really nice.

Keep it up everybody! I'll check in again on Friday!

Denise

RRDewey

OK, I finally have something to report. I decided that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday would be my exercise days, and I finally did it. I started out slowly--just doing a jog/walk around the neighborhood. I walked two driveways, jogged two, walked two, etc. I tried to keep a brisk pace. My efforts were rewarded when on the first day, I met up with a former work colleague who has long retired. He was doing yard work. While we were chatting, another former colleague, a dear friend I had once shared an office with, came out to get his mail, and we had a long confab and caught up. It was wonderful to see them both. It's embarrassing that I actually live near these friends and haven't seen them for eons. I guess that says something about how we live our lives these days.

Anyway, I hope to keep it up and step it up a week at a time. I'm never going to do anything like 5K because when I run too much, I tend to get stress fractures; also, I dislike it. Walking briskly is much more my style. I also have a jump rope to get my cardio work going--will get that out this week.

d2jump

Great job, Dewey!! I have had a few crappy weeks, so I am afraid to get on the scale. But I will start again tis week and get back on track. I am contemplating going back to weight watchers. I am a lifetime member, but I haven't been in years. I need to do something.

RRDewey

So, Denise, you're a member of Weight Watchers? How does that work? I've heard it can be very effective, but I don't want to have to go to meetings. I've heard there is an online version.

For me, it's not so much a matter of losing a lot of weight (I am very short and probably should lose 5 or 6 lbs--that is all) but of getting in shape. I don't exercise enough for my health, and my arms and legs are a bit flabby. Would like to tone up and increase my stamina.

I exercised Monday and Wed. I came down with a wicked head cold and felt awful all day yesterday (Fri), so after I struggled through the day at work, I came home and went to bed.

d2jump

Hey, Dewey. Sorry for the delayed response. I've been avoiding checking in since I'm doing so crapy still! Anyway, there is an online version of WW which you can try if you were interested. I am the type of person that needs to accountability of signing in at a meeting and weighing in each week. I do find the meetings somewhat helpful. But it's more the fact that I need to physically weigh in once a week. Technically you can do the meeting version and weigh in one a week and skip the meeting. That would work, too! But you still pay for that week. It is a pretty good program. Let me know if you have any more questions and I'd be happy to answer them.

I see COTH is down today for updates? I couldn't get online last night, either!

On a fitness note, I am going to pick up a recumbant exercise bike today I found on CL for 50 bucks!! They say it's in great shape. I really really really need to get moving. Even riding for 20 minutes at the trot on my lazy "pony" is making me winded. So hopefully this will help and I can start weighing in again. I'm avoiding the scale! Silly, I know.

RRDewey

OK, I haven't posted for quite a while, but I started exercising again, so I am here to report. For the last three weeks, I have done a M-W-F routine that doesn't take long and has me working up a sweat, so I guess that means it is the right amount of activity for now. Each session, I

...walked/jogged around the block. I am not sure of the distance--probably 1/3 mile. I briskly walked two driveways then jogged two. Today I walked two and jogged three.

...used hand weights a little. I am not sure how to do this, but my right arm/shoulder needs strengthening since a fall last year. It has never been the same since the fall. I have just been standing and holding the weights at arm's length and moving my arms a bit.

...jumped rope. have gone from 100 to 110 skips. This really works up the sweat and gets the heart pumping.

...did a few plank exercises, very moderate.

d2jump

Hi, SuperD and Dewey! Finally checking in. I'm getting back on track with health and fitness. Managed to drop 18 pounds since May. Still working on it. Lots to go.

d2jump

Okay maybe I can't count. Looks like 17 pounds.

d2jump

Dewey, that sounds like an awesome routine. Good for you. Keep it up. That jumping rope will kick your butt in a good way! When we were in Portland we did a nine-mile bike ride and then on the same day we did an hour-long hike on Mt. Hood. Felt great. I need to keep it up here at home.

d2jump

Woohoo...lost another two pounds. Yay me. . Hope you all are doing well out there. Hope someone checks in soon!!

tnhamilton76

Hi All! Just joined per Dewey's suggestion I have lost 15 lbs and counting since the middle of July. Doing Zumba twice a week, riding, and watching calories. Look forward to following this group! (Hrselvr1982).