junebug523

The 30 Day Shred is a great tool. I'd say the best result I got from it was that my body got used to working out regularly, and with intensity. I didn't do it every single day. I usually did it for 4-5 days straight, and then took a day off. Usually during the day off I would do something else, like going for a long walk.…

In addition to that, if it is true, I'd recommend also upping your water intake! No heat exhaustion allowed!:smile:

Last week I started Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones DVD, and so far I love it. I've done it about 4 times. The main portion of the workout is 40-45 minutes, and there's also a 5 minute warm-up and 5 minute cool down. The workout includes 5-minute circuits that focus on different parts of the body; i.e. a tricep…

Squats and lunges--both work thighs, butt, etc. Push-ups (or half push-ups)--these work your arms, upper back, shoulders, chest, and abs. They're tough, but very effective. Abs--double crunches and bicycle crunches. These are good for upper and lower abs, and the bicycle crunches target the obliques as well. Arms--tricep…

Although, even if you do exercise after several days of eating junk food, the scale likely WILL show an increase due to water weight, at least initially--all the sodium in processed foods has a huge impact on what shows on the scale.

If you've increased the intensity of your exercises recently, it's probably water weight. Your muscles are holding onto water...this often happens with an increase in exercise. Also, if you've eaten at a restaurant/eaten lots of high-salt food in the past few days, you're probably retaining water from that too. I'd suggest…

Actually, lately it's been working out! For so much of my life I've been inconsistent with my exercise, but in the last couple of months I've completed the 30 Day Shred, adding running into my walks with increasing intensity, and started another Jillian Michaels DVD. I pretty much never feel like working out when I…

I started with 3 pounds, then started adding 5's in on some of the moves. I still have to use my 3-pounders for most of the shoulder-intensive moves, but for the upper back and bicep moves, the 5's are perfect...definitely feel the burn where I didn't at first!

I also noticed my knees feeling a little sore when I first started the video--for me, I'm pretty sure it was the side lunges in level 1. I'm fine with all the other squats and lunges, but for some reason--despite practicing in front of a mirror, etc., I couldn't seem to do the side lunges with the proper form. The 30 Day…

5'2" 154 lbs. Pants/skirts are usually a 10. If I wanted to wear skinny jeans (which would look completely ridiculous on me with my booty and...um...generous thighs) I'd probably need a 12. I'd like to shift things down a notch and be more of a consistent 4/6, with an occasional 8 if it's a very tight cut. Chest and waist…

I plan to set myself some goals for July, but I'm not sure what they'll be yet! Still have to finish June...I'm guessing some of my July goals will be amended versions of my June goals, since I won't meet them all at this rate. And even though I won't be meeting them all, I've still done a lot of good work this month, and…

I am 5'2" with a medium frame. My long-term goal at this point is 125, but when I get to the low 130's I plan to re-assess. Once I get to that point, my focus will be much more on toning, getting my body fat % to around 20-21, and reaching a high level of fitness--so the number on the scale won't matter as much to me.…

Bumparooni!

Is it okay to admit that I have an MFP crush on you? :tongue: 'Cause I just can't help it!

Banks, you rock! :flowerforyou: That's what I was trying to get at, but I just didn't have the words! I know what you said is true, because my experience has been proof of it. For over a year, I was eating between 1000-1300 calories most days, never eating my exercise calories, and rarely feeling hungry...and not losing…

I remind myself of where I want to be in the long run: one year from now... Do I want to be where I'm at now? No. Do I want to be where I was a few months ago? Definitely no! Do I want to be able to run (not just shuffle or jog) for more than 30 minutes straight? YES! Do I want to be able to do 50 full-body push ups? YES!…

According to these numbers, you are netting only around 483 calories for the day (1083 calories consumed, 600 burned). Think of food as fuel--your body needs a certain amount of fuel to keep all of your organs working properly. If this is the plan you continue to follow, you will not be giving your body even the most basic…

4-5 pounds in two months is fantastic! Don't compare your weight loss with what others are losing--this is your journey. I really believe that slow is really the safest way to lose weight--and the best bet that you'll keep it off in the long run. Keep it up!

Being more consistent about working out in the evenings on work days (the 30 Day Shred has been great for this--short, intense, and definitely effective). I don't have time to work out in the mornings, so I used to just tell myself I'd catch up on the weekends. But I never did. This way, I'm working out in the evenings AND…

This is why I don't weigh myself every day anymore. :ohwell: Not good for the psychological health. The scale is just one tool to measure your progress. Have you taken your measurements? I found that even though I was on a plateau for four weeks last month (at least according to the scale), I was still losing inches from…

I would eat my arm.

There are many possible reasons you seem to have gained weight. I think it's highly unlikely that you have actually gained a pound of fat in a week! You would have needed to eat 500+ more calories than usual for the whole week in order for that to happen. More likely, you are retaining some water from eating out over the…

When I'm really tired, I make a bargain with myself, something like, "Okay, I know you're tired, but let's try to get at least one 6-minute circuit of the 30 Day Shred done. Then, if you're still tired, you can stop." Funny thing is, I always end up finishing the workout. By the time I'm almost done with the first circuit,…

I exercise when I can. I prefer morning workouts, but that's not possible on work days, since I have to get up at 5 am for work as it is. Getting up any earlier than that is just NOT going to happen. :ohwell: On work days, I take a 20-30 minute walk during my lunch break and also work out for another 30 minutes in the…

Practice instant forgiveness. Take each moment as it comes, and make the best choices you can. Don't beat yourself up, just let it roll off your shoulders and keep working. This isn't just a diet--you want this to be lifetime thing, right? So don't worry about a bad week or day or month...just drink lots of water and…

I started here at the end of April. Like many of you, I had my calories set at around 1200, and most days I didn't eat my calories back. I was often starving. By the end of May, I hadn't lost any weight.:cry: I reset my calories to aim for a net of around 1500 calories per day. I eat almost all of my exercise calories, and…

First off, don't overwhelm yourself by changing everything all at once. It won't work. You'll get frustrated, feel deprived, and lose focus (okay, maybe YOU won't, but that's what always happens to me!). It might be best to try to make one or two small changes, work on sticking with those for two or three weeks, and then…

I've been an avid water drinker for years now, but lately I've been sneaking in an extra 20+ oz in the last couple of hours before going to bed...because on work days, I only have time to exercise in the evenings. Last night I had to get up to pee 2 times, and that wasn't including the pee before going to bed and the pee…

I will not compromise on whether or not to eat Papa Murphy's pizza. I just have a salad first, refrain from eating half of the pizza (which I probably could do). If I know it's going to be on the menu, I plan the rest of my day so that I know it will fit into my calorie goal. And I also drink a ton of water. When I do it…

1 slice Dave's Killer Bread (Good Seed), toasted 1 tbsp natural peanut butter 1/2 c. cottage cheese I ran out of raspberries; otherwise I would have had them with the cottage cheese. I'm a sucker for toast and peanut butter. It will never ever ever get old.