40+ Club: Spring Fitness Challenge

Hey everyone! Happy Friday!

Things are good overall. Since it has been nice out this week I am back to my super-active routine so aside from the typical workout for an hour, I am walking with the dog in the morning as usual but then my son and I are out and about creature hunting and outside all afternoon. Nice to have the generally activity level back up--give me a little wiggle room in the calorie budget .

A little frustrated this morning as I'm thinking about the summer. For the last few years in summer, with school out, I haven't had any time to myself--something I rely on for keeping fit and generally staying sane. It is really tough to enroll my son in camps because of his peanut allergy--none of the camps around here seem to have a policy on keeping allergy-kids safe so therefore I end up having to sign him up for a few -hour-at-a-time programs and have to hang out there with him. Anyway, this summer I'll have to find something a little bit more or I know I'll go crazy not having that time to myself. He is older now and will hang out while I exercise but it's really not as easy for me--he typically chatters at me the whole time and I have a hard time concentrating. Well, lots of work to do on this front....we shall see!

Alf, I totally do not believe that--"clean lifestyle does not involve counting calories". I'd say anything that works is all good! And if you are still hungry in between maybe you need to add some healthy proteins mid day? I find Greek Yogurt is my wonder food. Whenever I'm hungry that kind of takes care of it. Also I added green tea, MFP friends suggestion, and that has been helping me out at night. Still have no resolution to the 5pm-6pm cravings before dinner though...that's the roughest time for me.

Tex--your garden sounds amazing!! Very jealous of the harvest!

Duffy--great to hear from you!

GBRyant--Congrats on the weight loss---even if it's slower than expected, it's going in the right direction.

Sing--have a great trip!!

Everyone else, have a great weekend!! Robin

Happy Sat travelin the next two days. Heading home and trying to get back to my regular schedule. Life changes fast. Gotta stay on my toes.

Miss everyone. Hugs to you all. Stay fit

I'm back! Thank you all for your words of motivation and inspiration...it really did help. My work schedule has been crazy busy and the kids are all involved in some kind of after school program or sport so I've had little time to check in and read all the posts...but I'm a great skimmer!

Yesterday was my weigh in day and...drumroll please...I'm down again. :bigsmile: That elusive 200 is getting closer and closer!!!!!! Even with struggling for the past 2 weeks and wanting to just give up and throw in the towel, I stuck it out and I'm feeling good about where I'm at right now. I find myself wanting to watch what I eat, exercise, weighing and portioning. Not so good yet on logging because I haven't been in front of the computer, but I'm hoping I'll get that back on track. I've been trying to keep a daily running tally in my head but I know it's not very accurate, and I'm probably cheating myself one way or the other.

Anyway...just wanted to let you all know I'm hangin' in there and I hope you all have a great week! :drinker:

Duffy- welcome back

StiringW- love your lifestyle...even in th chaos you have awesome plans. so focused.

Alf- count those calories and I hope your ankle is better.

Tex- Garden sounds awesome. Our ground is beginning to thaw...time to plant

Robin- chobani and I have become great friends in the craving dept. I fell full after eating it. My weak point is 9pm because I use to work nights.

MKwood- Great walk 8 miles woohoooo. Glad you found your bracelet.

NikNik....always in my prayers! Great job on the weight loss.

Happy Tuesday All!

I dusted off my garmin for a good 3 mile run yesterday. Felt so good. I switched from the couch to 5K to the sparkpeople 5K your way plan. I guess I had enough endurance left that the couch to 5K was just ho hum after the first few runs. This week I'm doing 3:1 and it felt just right. A little hard but not undoable.

Yesterday was my first day back on the weights. I decided to do power 90. I was pleasantly surprised with my back/bi and leg strength but holy cow my chest/tris were WEAK. Praying muscle memory kicks in soon.

Sounds like all are doing well. ALF: Take care of that ankle and have a great trip. SING: I'm sure you are enjoying St. George. I love the west. STIRING: Hope all is well.

NikNik - Congratulations on your weight loss! :flowerforyou: I remember waiting to hit that beautiful number--199. One-derland! I think I had a party all by myself! If you can't log on at your computer, there's an android app that you can use on your phone (if you have a 'droid--I'm sure there's also one for iphone). I love it because it keeps me focused on the go.

Alf - May is fitness month--thanks for the tip! Maybe that will motivate me, as in "May's the month to get off the couch and get moving!" :bigsmile: I still haven't braved a Zumba class, but I hear amazing things about it. I also learned that there's a class right in my complex, so no excuses.

Danielle - Hello! We haven't met, but I just want to say hi. Moving from my couch to doing a 5K sounds like a good idea, so I will check out the resources you mentioned. Exercise and drinking water are just NOT my things (not yet, anyway).

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Hi, everyone! I've lost about 3 lbs this week. :drinker: I haven't lost weight in about 3 months because I was on IV nutrition, which is designed to help you gain weight.

It's the 3rd week that I've been off of IV nutrition. My blood work for the past 2 weeks has been normal, which means I'm able to eat enough on my own not to slip back into protein malnutrition. If the 23 vials of blood (:noway: !!) they took from me yesterday are all OK, then I get the IV out of my arm and I'm back to normal. Yahoo! Thank God!

I can't wait for this IV to be out of my arm because I've been trying to go clothing shopping. All my spring/summer clothes are sizes 2X-ish, and I wear a 6/8 now. I haven't been able to try on the dresses and tops wih the cute little sleeves because I have these wires hanging out of my arm and I look crazy. Yuck!

Ok, I'm off to walk this morning. I find that if I don't do it first thing, it doesn't get done. Have a great day, everyone!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I've managed to make it to the new gym 8 days in a row. My body is accepting the new vigorous (speeeeeling?) schedule much better than I expected, so now I just have to ramp up the intensity and get to the weight training a little more regularly. I can definitely see a change in my waist not too much on the scale yet.

Alf:

I would have to get earplugs to go to the class, and I figure I want to be a little more "wtih it" in terms of excercise to properly enjoy it if I'm going to have to deal with the loudness and earplugs. It does look like they are finally limiting the number of participants. Picture trying to do Zumba in a crowded subway car, that is what it felt like that day.

Altushe-Hope you feel better. Welcome back! Maybe I rely on this site too much but coming here when Im struggling has been the best medicine for me. You can count on me to listen if you need to rant.

Have a healthy day everyone!

Hello everyone!!!! Gorgeous day here in San Antonio!!! Looking forward to our trip this coming week. I really need a break, especially go out of town. :laugh: Everything is great over here right now. :drinker: I am going to weigh in on Friday but everything is fitting the way it should.

Zebras, too bad about the Zumba class. I just cannot imagine doing Zumba in a very crowded place, I would not like it at all. And speaking of Zumba, last night I had a new student. From the very first time I saw her she came across as a very dry, unfriendly person but being the way I am it really didnt matter much. Throughtout the workout she seemed to doing alright, smiling at times especially when I smiled at her, etc. Well, at the end of the class she came to me and said "do you know of a place I can go for a more intense class?" She is telling me this while she is still very sweaty after finishing the class...I just wanted at that point to show her a very intense punch to the face and ask her if that was intense enough...:laugh: :noway: :grumble: But of course I kept a straight face and was very "friendly"...she said she had just came back from Tampa and while there for 7 wks took a Zumba class that was "advanced". I explained to her that not all the instructors are alike but that we are supposed to follow the Zumba Formula which is interval trng method and should alternate betweeen fast and slow songs, besides it is a dance fitness class that should incorporate 70% latin moves and 30% international (hip hop, african, arabian, etc). She said she "understood" but still wanted something more intense, advanced...Geez!!!! I suggested a couple more places, people but did not guaranteed they would be to her liking because we are all different and I really didnt understand what she meant about a more intense, advanced class. Maybe she wants to be leaping across the floor doing cartwheels...:noway: :laugh: Some people just like to be mean and have no tact at all...oh well...I really hope she doesnt come back, I dont need people like that. As an instructor and a person in general I know I cannot please everyone but geez...I told her she had the option but every move I showed to make it as intense as possible for herself but that I had to teach the class for all fitness levels. She was in a sense implying that my class was for "beginners". :explode:

Altushe, I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. I really hope you start feeling better soon. At least now you know what is going on. :flowerforyou:

Victorious, wow, you are really going through a lot...take care of yourself.

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: