Fit & Fun Sized Group ~ May '10

I don't like yoga for the very reason it's not your favorite. It's just too slow for my taste and it doesn't help that the P90X yoga workout is 90 minutes long. Everyone tells me to look into some dvds by other ppl but haven't wrapped my mind around that just yet. Let me know how you like them and which ones you have.

I went to a yoga class that lasted 90 minutes and it was too long for me :laugh: The two yoga DVDs I have are by Rodney Yee. Yoga for Beginners is easy and includes a section on how to do the poses......it has two yoga sessions, each is 20 minutes long. "AM Yoga" has five different sessions, each is 20-25 minutes long and is more challenging. I just finished doing one of the routines. I like the way it makes me mindful of my body in a slow way that I can't do when I'm dancing or walking......there are some great stretches including several that I still can't do because I'm not flexible enough. I started doing yoga about a year ago because three of my heroes on another thread kept talking about it and recommending it. I still go for more activity when given a choice, but I've begun to recognize the benefits of yoga and have had it as a goal for several months......this month is the best I've ever done (about three times a week)

:flowerforyou: So now I've done yoga and can head off to line dance with lots of movement and great music

:flowerforyou: light1980

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I weighed about 125 in 1988 when I met my husband........I weighed 183 on our 20th anniversary which is when I started my weight loss journey......be vigilant and be grateful that your boyfriend embraces your healthy lifestyle.....my husband has loved me at any weight but now he can't get over how good I look.

Welcome Melody and Megatron123.

There has been an interest in another forum on the ab exercises my DD is doing as part of her recovery from hip surgery. So, I thought I'd copy them in here in case there is any interest.

Pelvic lifts -
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, arms at your side palms down. Lift your pelvic up in the air as high as it will go, hold up to 5 seconds and lower. Do this 10 times, when it gets easy add in another set of 10, then up to 2 sets of 10 for 30 total. It took Anna several weeks to get up to 30. This never goes above 30.

Abdominal curls -
Same position as above except your arms are bent so that your hands are touching your ears. Curl up getting your shoulders off the ground. What ever you get when you curl up is fine. Don't use your momentum to swing up. It is just your shoulders and head that curl up. Again, start with 10, get up to 30, but don't go over 30.

Marching -
Same position as Pelvic Lifts. Lift one let at a time so that your calve is parallel with the floor. 10 lifts each leg. When you get to where 30 repetitions are easy, start extending your leg, pulling it back and putting it down. This also never gets over 30 at the higher level.

Side planks -
Lie on your side, legs bent at knee, keeping a straight line with your body. You are up on your elbow. Upper hand on your hip. Lift your hip off the ground as high as you can and hold up to 5 seconds. Lower down. Start with 5 on each side. As it gets easier add in more repetitions until you get to 30 each side.

Remember - these exercises are for people recovering from extensive surgery and are all designed to be done slowly so that the abs are engaged and you don't use other muscle groups to compensate.

She did them every day for 10 weeks building the reps up to 30 for each exercise before she dropped to 3 times a week. She went from a size 14 before the surgery to a size 8 (which she was flaunting in my face over the weekend) but only lost 2 pounds. She was not on a diet and doing about 40 minutes a day on a stationary bike at the lowest level and relatively slowly. Like not even breaking a sweat. She is 15 years old.

So, you guessed it. I started doing her ab workout last weekend and will see what it does for me in 10 weeks. lol

On the subject of Yoga - I love Yoga, but I do Power Vinyasu Flow yoga which is a moving form of Yoga. You don't hold poses for very long and flow from one into another. If you don't like Yoga, find out what kind of Yoga it is and try a different kind before giving up on it all together. I suggest renting videos or checking out the free downloads on the internet.

Happy Friday!

Jeannie

Good afternoon all! I decided to listen to my body today and not complete an intense workout. I had been dragging all week and my mood was not the best. Instead of completing the Kenpo X workout I decided to do the Leslie Sansone WATP dvd. I'm about to head out and complete some errands.

Checking in here... one week down (way too many to go). I've exercised 3 times this week -- not much any time but I'm trying to convince myself something is better than nothing! I walked about 1/3 of a mile yesterday (at the park)in about 5 minutes and then had to stop because I was exhausted! A few minutes later my dh and son came up and I walked another 1/3 mile lap at a slower pace, which was easier... then hung out at the park while my son played a while longer. I felt like I should have been able to do more than that, but then my dh told me it was 91 outside yesterday... which made me feel a little better. I am just hitting the part of the month where I am down and low energy anyway (which unfortunately is about 1/2 the month for me), and I'm saying that because I need motivation to keep going this next week! Think my goal is going to be exercise 3x for 30 minutes at a time... which is doable... and then keep moving up from there.

While I am a morning person and much rather get the workout over and done w/it, I wonder if all these 5 am workouts are beginning to run their course.

I totally understand where you are coming from. I did not work out at all last week before work. I get up at 4:30 to work out and they were just exhausting me. I am back on track...I did my 2 mile walk away the pounds dvd...I feel so great...hopefully I can keep it up!!

Have a great day :-)

:flowerforyou: :drinker: :bigsmile: Good Morning.....it is sunny and about 50 degrees here in far NW Washington where spring still hasn't really appeared.......here, we stay indoors because it's too cold not because it's too hot:laugh:

:flowerforyou: Chocolickkyss strength training is something that I have been trying to add for a long time. I have 3, 5, and 10 pounds weights and ankle weights and fitness bands out where I can see them but I tend to opt for crunches or Jeannie's abdominal exercises or the exercise bike in front of the TV.

:flowerforyou: Melody, you are absolutely right.....some exercise is better than none......stay with it and you will be surprised how you will begin to add more over time.

:flowerforyou: This morning set up the Wii Sports.......I have two characters (one right handed and one left handed) so I get a workout with both sides......today I did the Wii Fitness Test and my fitness age came out 50 right handed and 49 left handed :laugh: When my hubby bought this, I thought it would be a waste of my time, but now I love it and my arms know they had a workout....it's not as well rounded as real strength training, but as I just said, "some exercise is better than none" or even more important.........the best exercise is the one that you'll do.

:flowerforyou: light1980 you are so right to be grateful for a supportive many...congrats on the two months

:flowerforyou: Yesterday I paid attention to my step counter and realized that I walked almost two miles while the dogs were running and chasing birds.

:flowerforyou: enjoy your day :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:

So mad at myself...woke up at 4:30 to work out and then reset my alarm for 6 instead....grrr...I hate when I do that. I do plan on going to the health club today though to run and take my Zumba class...Rob makes fun of my because that is the one class I will not miss, which means I miss his daughters' baseball games (I go on Mondays to the games,that should be enough right?).

I eat so well during breakfast and lunch (the special k diet....love cereal) but it's dinner that I can't seem get right. I always seem to eat too much (not all the time, even though it seems like it). What are some of the things you all like to eat during dinner that is appetizing, yet filling at the same time? Thanks!!

Happy Tuesday everyone :flowerforyou:

:flowerforyou: Got hubby to do yoga with me this morning.....he says he wants to do it every morning and that we need a schedule of getting up and fitting it in before we have to leave the house (him to golf, me to line dance)

:flowerforyou: It was a beautiful day so the dogs and I spent and hour and a half at the dog park and got some super exercise.....the grass is so tall that walking in it is a lot more of a workout than just the 2 miles my pedometer says that I walked.

Hello everyone,

Choco- Have fun in LA!

Barbie - That is a good idea about the two Wii Sports players. I may try it myself.

I'm doing OK and ready to break this plateau I've had lately.

To all others - I hope you are all doing well and getting ready for a weekend of good choices.

JAM

Good morning and Happy Thursday! Today is week 6 day 4 of the P90X series which means it's a Yoga day but as usual I've switched it out for a little cardio. Since I just got my hair done last night I didn't want to jump around and sweat it out too bad so I opted for a shorten version of the Cardio X workout (I skipped past the Yoga). I wanted to make sure I got the workout in prior to heading to the airport now anything else I do during the course of the day will just be icing on the cake.


Ladies, thank you so much for the well wishes as it relates to my trip. Since the only computer access I will have will be the Blackberry I doubt I'll be able to post very much but look forward to sharing the details of the trip upon my return.

YEAH!!! I feel like I'm back on track...lost a whole pound this week :bigsmile: ...I achieved my goal for the week!!! I even woke up this morning to workout and I feel great!!! I'm definitely on a high right now. With Memorial weekend here, I'm hoping I can keep on track...I need to make sure I workout/go for a run during the weekend while camping...I KNOW I CAN DO IT!!! :-)

Barbiecat: That is great that you and your husband do yoga together!! :happy: Keep up the good work!! I know I've tried Pilates from a DVD and I just couldn't seem to do it from the DVD...I can do it when I go an actual class...maybe I'll try it again....

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!! :smooched:

:flowerforyou: light, congratulations on losing a pound...use your great feelings as a motivator for healthy eating and exercising over the weekend.......we tried a yoga class and didn't like a lot of things about it including having to drive to get to it, but the DVD works great for us.....I have a pilates DVD that I've used a few times, but I'd love to find a good class some day.....remember, the best exercise is the one that you'll do :happy:

:flowerforyou: Jeannie, the doctor gave you a compliment and a nudge to keep on doing what you're doing......your ticker says that you're not at your goal yet, so you wouldn't be too happy with someone who told you otherwise.......you are doing great...you continue to be a big help to me:bigsmile:

Welcome usmcwifeb15! Glad you found us. Us shorties do have a battle to loose and keep weight off.

Barbie - Thanks for your encouragement.

My Yoga class is in intersession (the time between semesters), so no class until June 7th when summer sessions start. :sad:
I complained that employees don't get intersessions off from work and these classes are for staff and not students, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. The good news is that when it starts again it will be 3 times a week instead of 2! But Fridays will have a different instructor. I wonder what type of Yoga it will be.

I am wondering what I will be able to do this weekend with this cough and sinus infection. But, I don't want to skip a day of exercise either, so it might be very low key easy stuff.

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all in the USA!

Jeannie