40+ Club: Fall Fitness Fanatics

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Replies

  • StiringWendel
    StiringWendel Posts: 3,922 Member
    Good Morning!

    Friday check-in.....I had a really good week in terms of working out and eating. My eating was really clean.....no chocolate, sweets, processed food, alcohol, etc. I'm beginning to feel like I'm losing some of the Christmas weight, which is good. I'm focusing on high intensity cardio workouts and endurance-based resistance training right now in an attempt to shred off some of these pounds I've gained. It seems to be working. It is taking a bit of a toll on my body right now (especially the really high impact), so I continue to monitor that. I'm going to give it another week and see how I do. At that point, if I need to take it down a notch for a week or so, I will. But I'm happy with where I'm at right now. I'm planning on sticking with this type of routine through the end of March when I will then return to P90X and try to beef up the strength training a bit more. I have no trips to the beach or anything like that to look forward to right now, so my motivation for staying slim is simply to be able to fit into my clothes better.

    singfree, we escaped the snow again. The temps are dropping here and we aren't supposed to be above freezing all weekend, but that's okay. No snow or ice in sight. I wouldn't know how well they do at clearing the roads here because we've not had enough snow yet to clear! I expect issues with snow removal in places like Georgia since it doesn't ever really snow there, but I'd think PA would be better prepared.

    My husband is bringing me home some goodies from Germany, so I'm not sure how well my diet will be this weekend. He enjoyed his dinner at the winery, but he won't be bringing me any wine (unfortunately). I've been to the vineyard where he ate before and probably have some bottles of wine in storage from there out in Los Angeles. We've really got to figure out how to get that out here sometime soon. My husband doesn't drink at all (or, more accurately, he'll drink the odd half glass of red wine every now and again but that's all). I figure it just leaves more for me!

    Enjoy your weekend everybody!
  • Robin1117
    Robin1117 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Good morning! Just an FYI, I changed my username from kadetr this morning because I just got tired of not using my name--not that I love my name so much, but am used to it at least.....anyway, hope everyone is good!

    We have more snow here too but thankfully they did not cancel school again. The week has been good--I could copy Stiring's note and say the same. I have been really on track with eating this week, and feel much more "streamlined" in my clothing than I did after Xmas. I'm on my 2nd week of not drinking wine mid-week. Hubby just left for 5 days, so that means I'll have a nice stretch of good eating and light dinners, so I foresee feeling really great by next week as long as I can keep it up. I have been eating at a reduced calorie level too, I will probably up it again back to my regular maintenance level next week.

    Altushe--I'm the same way--my appetite does increase on maintenance. I think that's why my exercise rest days are so difficult I am accustomed to a certain # of calories each day, regardless of what I burn throughout the day in exercise. So on rest days I still want to eat that extra 400-450 calories, I really can't scale it back. I hope you are ok --did you hurt yourself on the icy sidewalk?? I hate ice and try to avoid going out on it at any cost.

    CardGirl--I didn't eat much dairy but since being on MFP I have been trying to incorporate more into my eating because I know I need the calcium and when I see the report on calcium each day I have been coming up short. I usually have yogurt (like Altushe, Fage Greek Yogurt is my go-to brand), and maybe 1/2 cup of 2% milk --either in a cappachino I make at home, or with a little cereal. I eat really well so don't go for skims or 1%, my fat #'s are on track. I still don't think I get enough but am working at it....I think it's all good.

    One question for you--I want to incorporate more yoga on my rest days--do any of you have any favorite video workouts you could recommend??

    Hope you all have a great day and weekend!
  • cef957
    cef957 Posts: 86 Member
    Hello all - Sorry it has been a long time since my last post. It has been great seeing everyone's progress. I stayed the same weight till New Years weekend and then gained 4 (almost overnight). I am back working full time in the classroom. I took over for a friend who is on maternity leave at the school I used to teach at before we moved to China. The first week back in the classroom I was able to get to the gym once during the week and then on the weekend. I haven't been back since. I have managed to loose 2 -3 (depending on the week) of the 4 I gained. I was doing well with the water consumption till this week - the diet coke was calling me back. I am doing great with the eating. The chef at school now has great salads (when I was here before) he had cheese fries. No more cheese fries. Dinner at home has been not bad as I am in control of that and I am just too tired to eat sometimes.

    Just a few comments
    1) everyone is doing great! keep up the great work - you are inspiring me!
    2) welcome to our new members - this thread is great and inspiring!
    3) I eat dairy. Sometimes, I don't think I eat enough.....I love cheese (expect Packer fans! GO BEARS!)

    My new resolution (once I am done with my teaching job). I am kinda scared to post this.....

    I want to run a 5k. I am going to start the c25k program Feburary 7th! Yikes now it is in writing!! I have never been a runner and currently I can run for about 7 minutes at a slow pace (3.5 on the treadmill) only about 2 minutes outside......
  • friday ck in....well surprise-did loose.....guess something came out of being sick.
    I feel stronger today....best so far. Went to the gym yesterday, but did not give it my all during the class..loving that homemade vegie soup. That is all I want along w/pb&j.

    I am making myself eat an apple right now.

    I plan on going to the gym laterbut haven't figured out what I will work on.....still don't feel like allot of strength.

    Sing.....on BL wonder why they only told 1 person their life span?? I saw a clip about a large person show starting Mon night at 10 on TLC.....I think it was that station......only saw the part about a big guy yelling at his trainer.

    my dau returns to college Sun, so I have to pick up some items for her. I am also on call tomorrow for work....hope there is no call.
    Striing-do you like snow? Wow, stuff in ca talk about cross crountry-will the stuff fit in your new dc place? Wouldn't it be nice to have all your stuff in the same place..ha :)

    well, the snow has passed and the sunn is out! They are hinting at another storm next week. At least the ground will be all wet for spring. I am starting to think about planting season

    Since I was under the weather.....I forgot to say WELCOME to the newbies...keep focused....we're here to help.


  • Has anyone here tried soy milk, rice milk or almond milk?

    I have had both soy and almond milk. I used the soy milk to make smoothies, and I used almond milk for you cereal. I am not much of a milk drinker, and I liked both.

    However, since I was the only one using it, I found that it spoiled before I could use it all.

    Julia
  • BAH! I had a UGLY week!

    On Wednesday, my car decided to stop working! Blew a water pump. The mechanic said $1400 to fix it! We took the car off the lift and said NO thank you! Hubby and I shared a car this week... till we found a mechanic that said it could be done for $300....

    Just makes me so mad that the other guy was asking so much!

    Any rate.,, I am down a few pounds... cant bring myself to gone on "maintain" yet not sure I really want to lose more weight... feeling a bit crazy at the moment,,, I wish I just "KNEW" I was at a good spot...

    Julia
  • tron3002
    tron3002 Posts: 440 Member
    Wow! This has been one busy week for me.
    Mon & Tues... Trip to Nevada to work on rentals
    Wed... Drove home from Nevada, got caught up on all my laundry, picked up the house
    Thurs & Fri... Hung out with my daughter running errands'
    Sat... Started cleaning off decks, inside of my car cuz it sat all winter and got mold in it (YUCK) then got a phone call that my son got busted and could get arrested... UGGGGGGG!!!!!!

    Dont get me wrong, my son is a good kid he's just STUPID sometimes. I sent both him and his friend back into the forest to return this motorcycle part (the gas tank) he took home. While they were out there they decided the wanted the seat belt from an old car that's been out there forever. Not being able to just yank the seat belt off they decided to try the burn and pull method... One drip on those old seats and I'm sure you can guess.... Poof! Up in flames it went. Good thing he learned this lesson when things are wet and hard to burn but seriously.... If the seat belt was so important wouldn't you find something to just cut it with??? Oh ya, he wanted it to make a belt out of it. I guess the sell those in hot topic.

    So that has been my busy week. Eating hasnt been unhealthy but still bad because I haven't eaten a thing all day because of running around then when dinner comes I'm sure I gobbled up more that I should have.

    Exercise... Non existent this week. :ohwell:
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    Good morning from frigid (-2 F.) PA!!!!

    We are in a COLD spell, that's for sure! Yesterday was -6 F at 8 am on our way to Church. Now they are predicting even more snow for Wednesday! Great, bring it on (he says sarcastically)!!

    Yesterday I was on my way home from the store. I was turning in to our street from the main road. A young lady (maybe 18) pulled out from the stop sign while I was turning and hit my car right in my driver's side door. It was a slow speed fender bender type accident, nobody was hurt, but now I need to take my car to get it fixed. Even though she hit me, I need to have it repaired through my insurance company and pay the deductible until they receive reimbursement through her insurance company. I am very glad in a way that if this happened to this young lady that it was me. If a car had been coming the other way and faster, she would have been injured for sure. I hope she learns a valuable lesson from this. She seems like a nice respectable kid, but needs to pay attention when driving!

    I must be mellowing a bit (you'll get an argument from my wife on this), but I'm really not upset about this accident. Yes, it's a hassle to go to Reading to one of Hartford Ins. certified repair shops and have my car out of comission for a few days. But in the big scheme of things, it's only a minor blip on the radar of life. Too many good things happen in my life to sweat the small stuff...such as, our Grandson will come for a visit this weekend. He always warms our hearts!

    BTW, Stiring, we had a GREAT time at the Evergreen German Club on Friday night. Two other couples went with us and had such a good time, they are probably going to join as well. I had a delicous Jägerschnitzel and most of the others had Zigeunerschnitzel. Top it off with a few Franziskaner Weißbiers, and I was a happy boy!

    I did not get any exercise in this weekend, because I was cold and lazy! Back to the gym today, however. Over the past several weeks, I've noticed a marked improvement in my strength, and my muscles have actually grown a bit. This is probably due to the fact that I have not decreased my caloric intake, with the exception of trying to cut out junk food (mixed success). I'm going to stay with this course for another month, then begin a transition to more cardio and at that time cut calories slightly to see how that affects fat loss. I don't want to do anything drastic, because I don't want to lose muscle mass as I am leaning out with cardio. Believe me, I've tried drastic things before and the results were far from good. This time I am going to do things in safe and sane way.

    Tron, kids can and will do the dumbest things! I was a fairly good kid, but as I look back to that time, I've done some incredibly stupid things!!! As a parent though, you really have to scratch your head and say What Was He Thinking??? Some day you will laugh at this episode.

    Have a great day!
  • StiringWendel
    StiringWendel Posts: 3,922 Member
    Good Morning!

    JuliaSoCal, if I recall, you are about my height (I think you're 5'0 or there abouts, right?), and I think you are sitting at a GREAT weight for your height. It isn't harmful to lose more at this point, but it certainly isn't necessary to lose more either. And you will probably find it easier to maintain at this weight. Transitioning into maintenance is, without a doubt, one of the toughest parts of weight loss. At least it was for me. What I'd recommend is adding 100 calories a day to your diet and holding it there for two weeks. If you are continuing to lose, then up it again for two weeks and continue this pattern until you stop losing. In other words, if you are eating 1400 calories, take it to 1500 this week and hold it for two weeks. Then take it to 1600 and hold it for two weeks and see if you are still losing. Your body will tell you when to stop upping your calories because you won't be losing anymore. Sorry to hear about the car!

    tron, so sorry to hear about the issues with your son. Talk about stress!! Sounds like you had a crazy week.

    singfree, I'm sorry about the car accident! I'm glad nobody was hurt, but it is a pain to have to go through the whole repair process. You're right that in the big scheme of things, it isn't a big issue. But that doesn't mean it isn't a hassle! Glad to hear you enjoyed your time on Friday. I enjoyed seeing some of my husband's photos from our old stomping grounds there in Germany over the weekend. Made me homesick! Sounds like the strength training regime is really working. I imagine you'll be well pleased when you start to shred out later this spring.

    All here is well. I have leaned out quite a bit over the past few weeks and my jeans are getting much baggier on me right now. YAY! I'm happy about that. I'm going to keep this up for a few more weeks to get rid of all of the moving and Christmas weight. I'm happy with my results right now. I got in a good workout yesterday (cardio and lower body) and started my day this morning with Insanity. I'm fighting a bit of a cold right now, but it is concentrated in my nose/head, so because of that and because I feel fine otherwise, I'm continuing with my workouts. I'll monitor it and if it moves down into my chest (which my colds inevitably do over time), I'll have to stop for a few days no doubt. Mentally, I hate having to do that. But physically, with the really intense workouts I've been doing the past 5 or 6 weeks, my body will probably thank me! My eating was clean throughout the weekend, which was a real challenge given the treats my husband brought back from Europe.

    And here's to Jack LaLanne! Definitely a man who proved that fitness can be a part of life well into our later years! Quite the pioneer.

    Hope you all have a great day!
  • Robin1117
    Robin1117 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Good morning!

    Today I'm thankful for my geriatric car--at 11 years old and 180,000 miles, it started today (although protested a little) and I was able to get my boy to school. It is -25 degrees today. My lab wants to go for a walk but I have assured him if he's patient maybe it'll get up to like 0, and we can go out later. What a drag!

    Over the last few weeks I cut down my calories to a loss level to get back on track after the holidays, where I had gained 3 or 4 lbs. The work has paid off, and I can tell I have lost. So now I have to go back and set my body on maintenance again. I think I'm going to take the advice Stiring, that you wrote this morning for Julia, and do the "add back 100 calories a day" for a few weeks, then up it accordingly as my body gets used to it. I so agree with what you said that "transitioning to maintenance is, without a doubt, the toughest part of weight loss". This is certainly why most people who lose weight are not able to keep the weight off. They just assume they are done with losing weight and do not think about it anymore. I think consciously realizing you are on "maintenance" keeps you on track. The only problem with this is you are just as obsessed as when you are losing because to balance is such a fine line. I'm hoping one of these days it gets easier....

    Tron--so sorry about your son's incident. Boys. I guess it's all a learning experience and hopefully he'll know never to do that again! And, thankfully he's not hurt! My boy is 6 and I get scared to think about when he's off on his own.

    Sing--good luck getting back on the exercise track today!

    take care!
  • mkwood10
    mkwood10 Posts: 428
    Hello all from bright and sunny Kansas (at least for today)! :happy: We've had plenty of snow already and today's sun is making it disappear pretty quickly. I really can't complain; I'm grateful I don't live on the east coast where they're either getting pounded with blizzards or sub-zero temperatures. Sing, Robin, Stiring; you're all in my thoughts - hope you're all safe and warm and stay that way!!

    Helped good friends move over the weekend, starting Friday night AFTER I got in a workout at Curves. Didn't get home Friday night until after 10:30pm, then back to the old place at 9:30am to finish loading the trailers and then the 30+ mile drive to the new house. We had 7 vehicles in the convoy, ranging from a semi truck with 53' trailer to an ancient GMC S15 pickup, and all except one vehicle hauling some kind of trailer!:laugh: I'm sure we looked like quite the redneck brigade; we even had a stock trailer packed to the roof with boxes!!!:laugh: :laugh: I swear; I'm REALLY going to finish getting rid of junk out of my house this winter so that if we ever move it won't be as comical yet frustrating as this weekend was!! Lots of arm and shoulder work loading and unloading, but I was smart and didn't move anything that I shouldn't have, so my back and neck are feeling pretty good!!

    Yesterday the hubby left for a two week school in Des Moines, so the dog and I are alone again.....:ohwell: . I plan to try one of the new Zumba classes that our Curves is having a couple of times a week; it looked like a lot of fun last week when they started a class just as I was finishing my workout. Maybe a couple of Zumba classes is what I need to kick start my lazy metabolism again - still struggling to lose any of the Christmas weight gain :frown: :frown: The weekend's activities caught up with me; I'm exhausted today....... but, my workout bag is in the car and I'll force myself to stop at Curves, even if I feel like a walking zombie!!! These two weeks I'm going to focus on cleaner eating - no pizza or junk food. Easy for me to eat better when I'm just fixing something for me, which is the only good part about him being gone for two weeks.

    Take care all - I'll try to check in at the end of the week!!
  • LadyPersia
    LadyPersia Posts: 1,445 Member
    Good DAy,

    I have completed 111.81 fitness miles this month. I have been sick this month and I still have 38.19 miles to go. I am grateful for all the support of myfitpals. Thank you.

    I am finding it hard ( becasue i dont shut my mouth) to loose the last 10 pounds.
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    Good morning!

    We still don't know how much snow we're going to get tomorrow. Even the computers can't agree! At least it's "warmer" this morning...20 degrees at 5 am, which is 25 degrees warmer than yesterday morning.

    After work yesterday I made a nice pot of beef noodle soup. We make a roast in the crock pot (aka slow cooker), and I used the juice from that, plus some beef stock to make a rich broth. It really tastes great on a cold winter day. I enjoy making meals, especially since my wife does not get home until 8:30 pm some evenings.

    I am determined to get some extra cardio in today. This is lower body day, which takes less time than the upper body workouts I normally do, so I can spend a litle more time on the eliptical. For some reason I feel bloated, and would like to remedy that situation. Still trying to eat clean-er...not always successful, though.

    After work I must take my car to Reading to have an adjuster look at it. Not much damage, but enough to be an inconvenience. I opted to drive out of my way to take it to a certified repair facility that Hartford Ins. recommended. No paperwork on my part, just sign & go...and they guarantee the repairs for the life of the car. Too bad, I'm selling it next year when we buy a new car.

    MK, it sounds like you've had quite a busy weekend! Moving can be a real pain! I recently helped my BIL move from CA to UT. Thankfully, he got rid of a lot of stuff before the move, even most of the furniture! They decided to buy new things when they got to Utah.

    LadyP, what kind(s) of miles are you doing? Whatever they are, good going!!

    Have a nice day all!
  • janski2
    janski2 Posts: 70
    Where are you that it's -25 degrees?
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    Sorry for the misunderstanding, janski. It IS 25 degrees warmer (-5 yesterday to 20 degrees today = 25 degree difference).
  • StiringWendel
    StiringWendel Posts: 3,922 Member
    Good Morning!

    Robin, I've done the same thing since Christmas....cut my calories back down to dieting level. And I'm slowly beginning to raise them as well. I keep telling myself I'm going to be smarter about this next year and not have to do this in January. I hope that's the case. Hope you are getting out of the extreme cold up there a bit today!

    mkwood, moving is SUCH hard work. Everytime we move, I wonder why we've not just gotten rid of everything except for two suitcases and a few photo albums. But that's not realistic. Good job on getting the workouts in.

    LadyPersia, good job on the miles!! That's an amazing level given that you've been sick this month!

    singfree, we're warmer here today as well. And they can't figure out what the storm is going to do tomorrow either. Seems to be the pattern this winter. I'm not expecting much from this next storm since we haven't had anything to date. Even the weather people are hedging their bets this time and really downplaying the potential impact of this storm. After sending sand trucks all over the city a few times this month in preparation for a 'big' storm when we've gotten nothing, I have no doubt they've decided to stop crying wolf.

    Things here are all right. I'm fighting this cold and debating with myself right now as to whether I should workout today or not. It is still very much in my head, so I know it is all right to workout. But I also don't want to make it worse. I might go for a walk (since it is warmer) and maybe do a little lower body but keep the cardio down a bit today. I feel fine otherwise so I find it difficult to do nothing. Eating is good, so all is well there.

    Hope you all have a great day!
  • zebras
    zebras Posts: 600
    Hi! Its the professional lurker! As you know I am bad at posting when I have nothing to report, so I haven't talked to anyone in a while. Last night, I actually worked out for a whole 15 minutes! Might not seem much, but its been a long time. So, tonight I will improve on that. And things will only go up from there!

    Weatherwise, we were down to about 6 degrees yesterday, and today the weather guys got it wrong, as it was snowing when I woke up and wasn't supposed to start until tonight.
  • kbefit
    kbefit Posts: 116
    Oh Stiring please don't tell my I gave you my cold via internet :laugh:
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Sorry have not posted... :noway: I'm at work so it has to be short... My doctor recommended surgery, arthroscopy. He said I have extensive cartilage damage. He said the surgery can be very successful but it will require me to be on crutches for one month and no exercise for 4-6 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :noway: I just cannot even think about this without worrying about it. And that is everything comes out well... He left it up to me to decide. If I dont have the surgery it might get worse or it might stay the same. It is just a matter of dealing with the pain. He said in the meantime, while I think about it, I should avoid exercises that might aggravate it such as running, etc. I am not sure how much Zumba could make it worse since I dont experience any pain while doing it. I am trying not to jump too much etc. I have so many things going on right now that I dont really want to have surgery now. If my hip bothers me later on this year I might consider it early next year...dont know. What do you guys think? I also think since this is not a life or death situation it can wait...any type of surgery has its risks. :flowerforyou:
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    Alf!!!! You are in our prayers!!! Please seek a second opinion before you decide to do anything. You are young, with many active years ahead of you. Whatever you decide, we are with you all the way! :flowerforyou:
  • tron3002
    tron3002 Posts: 440 Member
    Alf... I'm sorry that you are in need of surgery but I might add that my husband had arthroscopy surgery on his knee for a torn meniscus and healed quite quickly. What he did was a few days after surgery we drove down to Bakersfield (a 4 hr drive) and sense I was terrified of the freeway due to an accident I had just had he drove. Keeping his knee in that position was the best thing he could have ever done. Even the dr was surprised on how quickly he was getting his mobility back. What I am trying to say is this... Work hard on whatever physical therapy they give you and it might not take as long as they say for you to heal. Now will it make you pain free having the surgery??? My husbands knee is no where near the pain he was feeling on a daily basis but there are days that it does still bug him. My opinion on arthroscopy surgery... Its a lot less evasive, You only have a few small scars, And you heal a lot quicker. I know its still surgery and any surgery is scary so take you time and give it some thought. All's I know is my husband was better off for having it and healed in a fraction of the time the dr's told him he would. Then again he did do things earlier than he was supposed to and pushed himself to do it. Your not a stranger to hard work so I know you can do the same.

    My daughters husband is on his way to Afghanistan. He left Sunday night. So my daughter is on her way home as we speak. I am a wreck because she's driving all that way BY HERSELF! Anything can happen. There's not much I can do about it now. I thought she was gonna wait because she signed up for an online school and told me she wanted to make sure everything was in place before she drove home. Next thing I knew I called her and she said she was on her way home. She didn't want to be there by herself, which id understandable but heck... She could have let us know that way we had the option to fly out there and drive back with her.
  • jamben
    jamben Posts: 22 Member
    New to MFP...just found this great board. Looking forward to all the imput from all the great people out there.:happy:
  • Hi all! A balmy 45 degrees here in North Texas, soon to be home of the Big Game. I have been in Mississippi with family the last two Super Bowl weekends but will stay here this weekend. We are about 45 miles north of where the game will be played in Arlington, TX and hubs and I work in Dallas, so it will be interesting to see everything sort of up close (but not really).

    Hubs turned the big 60 today. We did our big celebration with our kids in California two weeks ago. We got take out from our favorite Greek restaurant tonight. Very disappointing. Must have new owners. Everything has WAY too much salt and no tzatziki sauce and the rice that is yellow with peppers instead of white basamati rice with parsley. Grrr

    Zebras: I can feel you reading the posts even if you don't post...

    Alf: Yikes! But you knew something was wrong which was why you dogged (appropriately) the docs. See if you can get a second opinion and get as much real information as you can on the condition and treatment options. In the end, you are the one who knows your body the best.

    Tron: Prayers for your daughter getting home safely and son in law going to and getting back from Afganistan safely. I am buying girl scout cookies for the troops. What does he like?

    Jamben: Welcome!

    Stiring and Sing and everyone else in the horrible cold: stay warm and safe!

    Scale story to tell: I bought an expensive scale that is supposed to weigh you and calculate %age body fat. I bought it so the hubs would use it. Well, I cannot get the stupid thing to work the way it is supposed to. (And he won't use it) So, I have it next to my normal scale I use. This morning, I got on my regular scale and it showed I was a 1 pound down from last time I weighed. Yea! I then got on the other expensive scale which usually registers 3 pounds less. yep, 3 pounds less. So, I thought I would try the function which identifies different people and punched in P1 for me. I stepped on the scale and it registered 0.5 pounds more than it did 30 seconds before! So, I got back on my regular scale and it showed 0.5 pound more than 1 minute ago??? What gives? I did not weigh any more for fear that I would gain 10 pounds in 5 minutes going between the scales.

    Take care all! TxMs
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    Good morning!

    More snow today...I am getting tired of it, and it's still January!!! I got the estimate for the damages to my car yesterday. Over $2600!!! I thought maybe it would be a few hundred, but there was some other damage that I was not aware of. The other driver's insurance will be taking care of it. I placed the claim through my insurance, but they told me that the deductible would be waived and there would be no out-of-pocket expenses for me. The car will be in the shop for a week. Thankfully we have 3 cars.

    Tron, I hope all goes well with your daughter's drive home. When do you expect her to arrive? It's perfectly normal to worry about her, but she's an adult now and wants to be independent. That's the tough thing about parenthood!

    Tex, what I wouldn't give for 45 degrees right about now! Actually it's up to 30 degrees here. We are expecting snow this afternoon, around 4+ inches. I could be a lot worse. Along the Eastern seaboard they are predicting much more snow. I would much rather watch any football game at home on in Hi Def on my TV. I used to go to Penn State games with a friend of mine, but the cold weather and traffic hassles made it a pain. BTW, I didn't go to Penn State for either of my degrees, but I like good old Joe Pa.

    I wasn't able to get to the gym yesterday. I got tied up running errands during lunch. Today for sure. Upper body and some cardio sound good right about now. I still feel a bit bloated, but that could be from all the extra carbs i've been eating in the last few days. I still believe I a on the right track by trying to "muscle up" during the cold months and then go to more cardio and less cals to lose the fat. The downside is that I don't look lean. I have a fairly small frame and any extra fat weight really shows on me in a negative way.

    Stiring, are you getting snow or rain today? Did you get your study materials yet? Don't you just love this game of 20 questions?? :laugh:

    Alf, stay strong! You will get through this!

    Have a great day!
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Good morning! Thank you all for your support and encouragement. To tell you the truth I just dont know what to do. Part of me tells me that I should get the surgery to fix the problem and the other says just slow down and leave as it is and live with it. Unfortunately I cannot foresee the future so I dont know what could happen with either decision. I can have the surgery hoping it gets better and it will or it might not. There are risks with any surgery. Or no surgery and live with the pain and hope that it doesnt get worse. It is not going to get any better that is for sure. I know I dont sound very positive. :cry: This morning I was thinking about the pros and cons and there are more cons, IMO, than pros. Only positive outcome would be to fix the problem and be "pain free". Cons: not be able to exercise for at least 4mos, not teach Zumba anymore, pay cut of at least $1500 a month, weight gain, might have to cancel the trips I had planned for this year, and feel just plain miserable (I know how I feel when I cannot exercise). I just want to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :explode:

    Tron, my thoughts are with your daughter, son in law and the family in general. Please let us know when your daughter arrives. I feel bad for them, just married and he just joined the service. I just hate this situation now with all the deployments and all... :cry:

    Sing, stay warm!!! It is cold this morning here in SA but then we expect sunny skies and up to 65 degrees. Not bad!! Ok, dont be jealous. LOL Good thing you are getting your car fixed. 3 cars? But hey, it makes sense.

    Tex, happy birthday to your hubby!!!!!!! That is a funny story about the scales. That tells you how crazy they can make you. LOL I have been tempted to get on mine but just the thought of that "number" keeps me away from it. All the clothes are fitting nice so I will go with that for now. :laugh:

    Jamben, welcome to this thread!! :drinker:

    Have a great day!!! Gotta finish getting ready for work, pack my lunch and snacks, etc. :flowerforyou:
  • StiringWendel
    StiringWendel Posts: 3,922 Member
    Good Morning!

    alf, this really IS a tough decision. As others said, if there is any way to get another opinion, I'd try for that as a first option. I know that's tough in the military system, but, hopefully, they'll work with you on doing that. But here's a few thoughts. Only you know how much pain you are in. If it is pain only when you are exercising vigorously and in certain ways (like running), you can probably live with that. But if it is pain in other areas of your life (and unexpected pain perhaps), then you have to think '30 years'. Because that's a low-ball of how many years you can expect to be going through that. And weigh the 4-6 months without exercise with 30+ years of pain. I know 4-6 months without exercise seems like alot, but in the big scheme of things, it isn't. You aren't going to get fat during that time if you don't eat poorly. And aside from the month you are on crutches, you will be mobile. You may not be able to run, but you will be able to walk. And walking is good for your body. When I hurt my shoulder, I went 5 months without being able to leave the house (except to go to the doctor every week!) much less exercise! And here I am. I even lost weight during the first few months of that because I was really focused on my eating. Again, only you know what kind of pain you are in and whether you want to live with that the rest of your life. But don't let the short-term issues with healing affect a very long-term decision. And you are SO right....there ARE risks with every surgery. And there are no guarantees. And I think you really need to consider that in making your decision (that is what keeps me from opting for surgery in some cases as well). But don't let those 4-6 months of recovery make you afraid because, as I said, they are a drop in the bucket of what will hopefully be the rest of your life. We're here for you! :flowerforyou:

    TxMs, so good to see you. You've provided a great example on why scales should be tossed out the window! It certainly isn't an exact science, that's for sure. And wish Mr. Holiday a Happy Belated Birthday!

    tron, how scary that your daughter is driving across the country by herself! I'm sure she'll be fine, but I know you'll be on pins and needles until she makes it home. I'm sure you'll be glad to have her there. My thoughts will be with your SIL while he is in Afghanistan.

    zebras, so good to see you!!! Post more!!

    kbefit, yes, I blame you for my cold! :tongue: Hope you're feeling better. :flowerforyou:

    jamben, welcome!

    singfree, we've got snow, rain and more snow predicted for the day. Not pretty. They are expecting 5-10" tonight. We'll see about that. My husband is flying in from Louisiana, so keep your fingers crossed he makes it home and doesn't get stuck somewhere along the way. Sorry to hear about the expensive car repairs. Glad you aren't having to pay for them!! Hopefully the young lady who hit has learned a lesson about driving. I got my study materials over the weekend. I've read the first couple of chapters of the main book which is all about who should become a personal trainer and why and what you need to do to be a personal trainer and such. I'm definitely not the best candidate for becoming a personal trainer, and that has me thinking. Much of that has to do with limited mobility in my left arm which will restrict me from being able to properly demonstrate many exercises (like tricep overhead presses and such). Another issue is that I don't have a wide breadth of knowledge about the fitness world since I don't teach or participate in any classes and I don't even workout in a gym. The third strike is that there seems to be a move afoot for personal trainers to have a BS in some form of physical science. I really don't want to go back to college for another four year degree at this point in time. That being said, I'm going to press forward with learning and may still get my certification if for no other reason that to do it. But I'm thinking if I want a new career, this may not be the right one for me. :ohwell:

    All here is well. I'm feeling better, so I got in a good Turbo Fire workout this morning. My eating is staying very clean, and I'm feeling much more lean with every passing day.

    Hope you all have a great day. For those who are going to get hit by this storm, stay warm, dry and safe!
  • kbefit
    kbefit Posts: 116
    OK finally officially back!!! Am much better now...only 2 days of drugs left. Just got back from my first work out since last week and am so glad to be jumping on that band wagon again. This happened to me last year too. I started working at my daughter's school (only an hour a day) but I think I am picking up those germs from the kids. If this happens again next year it may be time to rethink this job!

    Alf I'm so sorry about your surgery, I know how disheartening that can be. You just need to follow your gut and know that you will get through whatever you decide to do.

    Sing we haven't gotten much snow this year but were bombarded the last two years so I know how stir crazy you can get. I actually love the snow and winter and can appreciate it's beauty but when it becomes too much it does just make time drag. I have to say we've had a good weather year...last year we enjoyed a beautiful spring and fall and a nice steamy hot summer, and this winter has been a breeze for the most part. I have heard though, that Chicago may finally get some of those storms next week....we shall see!!!

    Tron - I hope all is well with your kids, both your daughter and your son.

    Tex I sure wish we could be watching our team in the big game....but just like w/our Cubbies there's always next year! :laugh:

    Jamben, so glad you're here...I am relatively new as well.

    Lastly....can anyone tell me anything about Zumba? Is it hard on your joints? I like what I do but think I want to mix it up!

    Have a great day all...stay healthy and stay focused!!
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Well, I am back home now with a sick child. The school nurse called me to pick him up, I guess my son caught a stomach bug. So I am home early...teaching tonight though. I appreciate your opinion about my condition and all the support!!! Thanks!!! All I do is think about it. And the more I think about it the less I want to go with the surgery. As you said, kbefit, that is what my gut tells me, at least for now. I do know that I should slow down a bit and I am willing to do that. One of my students got licensed and wants to teach so I am thinking about offering her two of my classes for now. Her husband is in the Navy and they are leaving in July so I think it will be ok with her to "sub" for me until she leaves. By that time I would know if I can go back to teaching 4 classes again or find someone else to help or go for surgery...My sister, who is also an instructor, has many issues with her back and knees and years ago her doctors had recommended surgery. She opted out of it and just listens to her body now, rests when she needs to and deals with any issues as they come. Surgery is definitely not the first option in many cases. I am supposed to see the Dr in about 6 wks and will look at other options such as PT, etc.

    kbefit, glad to hear you feel better. You can definitely catch all kinds of bugs when around children. Funny you ask about Zumba, I am a Zumba instructor. The intensity of the class will depend on your instructor and yourself. A good instructor will show modifications for all high impact moves. The students then choose their own level of intensity. I always encourage my students to work at their own pace. Also, as with any exercise, it is very important to move with good posture/correct form. The type of floor where they hold the class is also important. A wood floor with good padding is very important. Also try to use shoes that offer lateral support and dont have a lot of treading on the sole so it is easy to pivot and avoid knee problems. Give it a try!!! Are you on facebook? You can request me at Zumba Annette and see some videos and pictures. :smile:

    Stiring, you go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am also eating pretty clean lately. I have to stay away from eating dry cereal though...sometimes I can over do that. Good thing it is pretty healthy cereal. :laugh:

    I will check back tomorrow!! Stay warm!! :flowerforyou:
  • kbefit
    kbefit Posts: 116
    Oh Alf thanks for the information! I have running shoes (even though I'm not a runner) because I don't have very good arch support, but I guess those wouldn't be good for Zumba. They offer it at the YMCA and I thought I'd give it a shot. They offer a kids Zumba too and I was thinking of signing her up.

    I am on facebook and I will definitely friend you! I use the same pic so you'll know it's me! :laugh:
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Good morning!!! Eating my healthy breakfast, ready to go to work. Keeping my son home for the rest of the week but he is just fine. Thank God for the lady that takes care of him, she is a blessing.

    Stiring and everyone else in the east coast, wow, have been watching the news...all that snow and ice!!! Stay warm and safe!!!!

    kbefit, just give them a try and see how they work for you. It all depends on the type of floor they have and the shoe itself. I am now wearing running shoes, Reebok Zigs, and I love them. A lot of Zumba instructors are wearing them now. Others like the Nike Free or Asics gel enthral? Yes, the Zumba for kids is called Zumbatomic. I am also licensed to teach but has not taught it yet. Let me know what you think when you take it!! I really hope the instructor is a good one. Some people have had a bad first time experience and think all the Zumba classes will be the same.

    Have a great day everyone!!!! :flowerforyou:
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