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!!

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)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Welcome, tnhamilton/hrsel! Let's keep this thing afloat. I can use the motivation. Sounds like you are doing an awesome job. That's wonderful! I'm on a good roll, too. I started getting serious toward the end of May this year. Ni looked at some pictures and freaked out how bad I looked, and I KNOW I ride better when I am thinner. So I still have a long way to go, but I feel confident.

I mostly ride a stationary bike for exercise. I try to get on four days a week, but that's not always practical. I like to hike when I can as well. And of course ride.

Again, welcome.

Denise/d2jump/paradoxfarm.

Hi, everyone. Thanks for checking in, Denise. Welcome, horselover! What's your actual name? I know I missed the Friday deadline, but it's been awhile since I reported, so I thought I would post anyway.

Last week was bad--I missed Monday and Wednesday and only exercised on Friday. I use early meetings at work as an excuse, but I really could have gotten up early and exercised. This week was better...trying to get back on track. I am still doing my little walk/job around the neighborhood. I am jogging further and walking less, so that's good. I also upped my jump rope routine to 120 skips per session. I am trying to figure out an effective way to use my arm weights. I have a sore shoulder from a fall last year off Sky, and I'm trying to build it up. I looked up some exercises on youtube, but I think I am going to try jogging with them this week to see if I can stand it.

I also found some core exercises on youtube that I can tolerate.

I haven't lost any weight, but that wasn't my goal. I actually am hoping I lose 5 pounds so my clothes will fit better, but I know that won't happen until I start eating better, and I am very lazy about my diet. DH and I have a juicer and make a batch of veggie juice once a week, but that is not enough. Frankly my eating habits are terrible.

Still working on it! Lost two more pounds, yay! This week I don't feel like I have a lot of motivation, but I will be sure to get in some exercise. I started PT for my shoulder today, which may be part of it.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Denise/paradoxFarm