Movin' On Up...and the Most Honest Photo I have ever posted

suelegal

Congrats!! You look great in green! Hope you keep movin' on up for a whole lot longer!

mom2kpr

Looks like my arms. lol. I'm 42 & have had arms like that for over 15yrs. Now that I'm getting serious about weightless, I too hope to shrink them. Like you have no dreams of super model arms, but would like to feel comfortable in shorter sleeves.

deksgrl

Great job! I started with a couple of cans of Bush's baked beans before I got 2 pound weights. Now I have a whole home gym. Never thought I could lift heavy things.

jeanywren

Sue, I love your sense of humor!!!! You are going to have some pretty good muscles if you keep up with the weights. I need to get some, have some stretchy bands that I have started using. Keep up the good work, looking forward to your next blog!!

dwalt15110

I have arms like those and I want to get rid of all that too. Congrats on upping the weights. I hope you see results soon.

kss1231

Good for you! You look great, keep up the good work.

phjorg1

To answer your questions and general comments, 3lbs is prob still not heavy enough.. If you're hitting failure at 6 reps then sure you're on pace and on the right track in your workout. But I have a hunch for the bigger compounds you could easily be doing more.

As regards to your bat wings, I hate to say this but you might be SOL. That looks to be excess skin. There is no lifting, dieting, cardio, exercise, arm workout, etc that can ever fix that. It's organ tissue. It does not go away. However your skin is somewhat elastic, and exercise can make a dent in firming it somewhat I will concede, but normally the rule is the longer it's big, the less is will shrink after weight is lost. And it's nothing you can predict. Some people's skin tightens up, other peoples does not., It's a genetic thing, not a workout thing. If you want that fixed, it's prob going to be surgery. Give lifting and exercise a try though, hopefully it will help.

edit: Just to be clear here, because I think you're misunderstanding. Lifting heavier wil NOT help tone your arms or reduce your bat wings. the reason for lifting heavy is to retain lean mass while burning calories. And lifting itself is a good calorie burner. So this is why proper lifting templates are things like squats, bench press, pull ups, dead lifts, shoulder presses and the like. Big heavy compound movements that work a lot of muscle groups, and maximize calorie burn and fat loss with optimal lean mass retention. this is also why exercise like bi curls and tri extensions are pretty much dam near useless. small puny muscle groups that give far lower calorie burn and work less muscle groups. But people do them in the mistaken belief that somehow it will help with losing arm fat or toning problem areas. Well it won't, and it's basically a waste of time when you could instead put your time towards larger compound movements and get far larger benefit..

WDA4655

Woo! Hoo! Hoo! You go girl! You took it up a couple notches with those 3 pounders! So glad for you! And as far as starting out with the 1 pounders, when I was in...probably my late 20's...I started out with the 1 pounders from Walmart too. Loooonnnng time ago! lol! Now I wish I still had them...but at this point I'm not even ready for them. I can't even do 10 Reps. and 5 Sets with no weights. lol! I'll get there just like you! Steady the pace with power and grace as you finish the race! That's for you and everyone else out there. You are such an encouragement to me and others! I so hope that you see how much this means to me and others. It's one thing to have to lose a few pounds, even 10 or 20 buuuut when you are dealing with obesity it's another story, especially when there are other health issues that are involved related to the weight or not. Not everybody has the same story, but oh how we can relate. Thank you for opening up your life to let other in. My scripture for this morning was about baring one another's burdens and that is what you do along with everyone else here. You climb under the weight that we are all baring and you help caring ours when you share what you've been through, are going through and where you're going. We'll meet you at the finish line, maybe not all at the same time, but we'll get there one at a time. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Praying for everyone to overcome, pushing through every obstacle, and cross that finish line! Enjoy your evening!

crazypeachs

great job! soon you'll wonder why you thought they were so heavy.

keep up the good work!

deksgrl

Well it won't, and it's basically a waste of time when you could instead put your time towards larger compound movements and get far larger benefit..

You missed the part where she's in a wheelchair a lot of the time? Doing something to keep her muscles active and engaged is a good thing, even if it is only a few pounds.

heywithers

Ha! loved your post OP, great work so far on losing those inches and moooovin on up to heavier weights!

Hanfordrose

To answer your questions and general comments, 3lbs is prob still not heavy enough. If you're hitting failure at 6 reps then sure you're on pace and on the right track in your workout. But I have a hunch for the bigger compounds you could easily be doing more.

Sorry, if I made it sound like I was seeking advice on how to improve my exercise routine, but I'm okay for now. If I have questions about my exercise regime, I take them to my doctor or my physical therapist.

Perhaps you didn't read the part about me being 68 years old and confined pretty much to a wheelchair. I probably should also mention that I have arthritis in both my shoulders and hands; so, the mere fact that I am lifting any weight over my head is a small miracle at the moment.

As for bigger compounds...I believe that you are talking about push ups and such. My doctor would kill me, if he even saw me doing any exercise that involved my knees. I am considered to be at extreme risk for green stick fractures in both legs at this time. Your advice seems geared more for someone who is much younger and mobile than myself, but thanks for the suggestions.

exercise like bi curls and tri extensions are pretty much **** near useless. small puny muscle groups that give far lower calorie burn and work less muscle groups. But people do them in the mistaken belief that somehow it will help with losing arm fat or toning problem areas. Well it won't, and it's basically a waste of time when you could instead put your time towards larger compound movements and get far larger benefit..

I may be an optomist, but I believe that any exercise of my upper body will be helpful in my efforts to lose weight and tone up my old body. As for my 'puny muscle groups', I would be glad to see them freed from those heavy layers of fat. With or without sagging skin, I don't need to carry that fat around in my upper arms.

Like I said...I have no delusions about having the body of a young, health person, even if I lose 100 pounds. However, I will do the best I can with my current limitations. In the near future, I will be working even more closely with physical therapists who will determine my post-op, exercise regime. When I get to Onederland, I will be scheduled for double knee replacement surgeries. My therapists will determine what exercise is appropriate for my age and medical issues at that time.

Well, that's the plan.

*****

By the way, I went to your wall. It says that you are a 35 year old male. It also says that you have no MFP friends and have lost ZERO pounds lost according to your ticker. Are you just here to give your advice and opinion on the subject of exercise without being a part of MFP? I don't believe that you are a trainer or professional coach, because your comments sound so negative...almost to the point of discouraging folks who are less than full on athletes. You might want to soften your approach to other MFP folks. You will find them more willing to listen to your advice.

figureformin

BAT GRANNY AHH:) YOU are making awesome progress, keep it up:)

YoungDoc2B

Lol I love your personality and sense of humor, this post genuinely made me smile. Hats off to you for taking the steps to achieve your goals. You will get there!

ckish

Nice story but the pics are not visible on my computer. It says the images have been deleted from photobucket. Did you change your mind after starting the thread?

No, I didn't change my mind. I just seem to be having problems with Photobucket today. So, I loaded them into my profile photos; and though the pictures are a bit smaller than I wanted, I was able to get them in this post.

Thanks! I can see them now. You are beautiful in any case but I'm sure they will go down a bit in time. Who knows if you keep this up maybe you will become a bodybuilder and fill it out with muscle Keep doing what you are doing and God will take care of the rest.

sdpeklo

I love reading your posts. You always, always, keep it real and genuine and make many of us laugh with your humor. Keep going!! You rock!

phjorg1

I may be an optomist, but I believe that any exercise of my upper body will be helpful in my efforts to lose weight and tone up my old body. As for my 'puny muscle groups', I would be glad to see them freed from those heavy layers of fat. With or without sagging skin, I don't need to carry that fat around in my upper arms.

I agree with this. Any exercise will help. But there is a big difference between what 'works', and whats 'best'. If you have time to kill and want to do a bunch of bi curls, feel free. But your time is better spent doing other stuff thats more compound based. Thats all i'm trying to say. Do what burns the most calories. And the more muscle groups and more weight you can push, the more calories you burn. Again, I cannot stress this point enough. doing arm exercises do nothing for your arms in regards to fat loss or losing bat wings. It's simply a waste of time trying to do so in this regard. Fat loss is from the calories in < calories out equation. exercise is a way to help with that equation. Nothing more or less.

By the way, I went to your wall. It says that you are a 35 year old male. It also says that you have no MFP friends and have lost ZERO pounds lost according to your ticker. Are you just here to give your advice and opinion on the subject of exercise without being a part of MFP? I don't believe that you are a trainer or professional coach, because your comments sound so negative...almost to the point of discouraging folks who are less than full on athletes. You might want to soften your approach to other MFP folks. You will find them more willing to listen to your advice.

I'm not trying to lose weight, and the website is to kill time until I'm rehabbed and start gaining weight again. nor do I care about website friends. My comments were not negative at all either. I deal in reality, not hope. Nowhere did I put you down, or in any way insult you or demean your goals.

3dogsrunning

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By the way, I went to your wall. It says that you are a 35 year old male. It also says that you have no MFP friends and have lost ZERO pounds lost according to your ticker. Are you just here to give your advice and opinion on the subject of exercise without being a part of MFP? I don't believe that you are a trainer or professional coach, because your comments sound so negative...almost to the point of discouraging folks who are less than full on athletes. You might want to soften your approach to other MFP folks. You will find them more willing to listen to your advice.

I'm not trying to lose weight, and the website is to kill time until I'm rehabbed and start gaining weight again. nor do I care about website friends. My comments were not negative at all either. I deal in reality, not hope. Nowhere did I put you down, or in any way insult you or demean your goals.

I am really going to stay out of the debate about your exercise, I think you are awesome for doing what you are doing.
I do have to say that I seem to end up on the same topics that this person does and they really do know their stuff from what I have read. I too am a little puzzle by the blue person avatar (I haven't looked at the info) but they do seem to be knowledgable.
No, it is not my alternate account.

Hanfordrose

I'm not trying to lose weight, and the website is to kill time until I'm rehabbed and start gaining weight again. nor do I care about website friends. My comments were not negative at all either. I deal in reality, not hope.

It sounds like you have been injured seriously. I hope that all goes well for you. It has to be very difficult for you to be physically not up to your best. In that way, we have more in common than you could imagine.

I was always an active lady. I used to operate my own rose nursery, which meant that I spent almost all day outside and on my feet, lifting flats, water thousands of plants, keeping up the large display garden and helping customers. To be retired to a wheelchair was not my plan for my future.

I am probably too much of an optimist in my way of dealing with life. I accept reality, but I always look for the good and hope for the best. If I didn't, I would probably have given up and be content to stay in this wheelchair.

My doctor offered me gastric surgery, but I wanted to lose my weight with healthy eating, limited calories and exercise. My exercises are 'limited', but I do workout all of my body; except my knees.

I have a feeling that you are going to be a tiger, when you get into rehab. You sound like someone who is ready to work hard for your future. I hope the time will come soon, when you won't have to 'kill time', because you will be able to do all that you want to do.

phjorg1

I'm not trying to lose weight, and the website is to kill time until I'm rehabbed and start gaining weight again. nor do I care about website friends. My comments were not negative at all either. I deal in reality, not hope.

It sounds like you have been injured seriously. I hope that all goes well for you. It has to be very difficult for you to be physically not up to your best. In that way, we have more in common than you could imagine.

I was always an active lady. I used to operate my own rose nursery, which meant that I spent almost all day outside and on my feet, lifting flats, water thousands of plants, keeping up the large display garden and helping customers. To be retired to a wheelchair was not my plan for my future.

I am probably too much of an optimist in my way of dealing with life. I accept reality, but I always look for the good and hope for the best. If I didn't, I would probably have given up and be content to stay in this wheelchair.

My doctor offered me gastric surgery, but I wanted to lose my weight with healthy eating, limited calories and exercise. My exercises are 'limited', but I do workout all of my body; except my knees.

I have a feeling that you are going to be a tiger, when you get into rehab. You sound like someone who is ready to work hard for your future. I hope the time will come soon, when you won't have to 'kill time', because you will be able to do all that you want to do.

thanks. same to you as well. As for myself, it's not too serious. At least in regards to yourself by comparison. Strained teras minor that I've only just started to rehab a few weeks ago. I still have full use of my arm in regards to range of motion, just am unable to push myself in any sort of push exercise. Which for obvious reasons makes going full out impossible for lifting when any upper body exercise is so limited. Hope to be fully back in another 3 weeks or so. And yes, then watch out, my goal is to hit 250lbs.

All that said, I hope the best for you as well. I like your attitude and hope you use that same fiestyness towards pushing yourself at your exercise goals. Obviously rehab will be a large part of your future templates and your therapist will be the one with the best knowedge on what you can do and not do. But I will stand by that the best things for you going forward will be as many compound movements as you can handle, with as much weight as you can handle. Get those primal movement patterns being worked, and you'll with some luck be a lot more mobile in your future. Lifting will make you strong, embrace it.