mschelle Member

New York & Company! Their Tall jeans always fit me perfectly - I can even buy them online (which i generally can't do for clothes at all)

That is a great step forward! Portions are a huge problem for (I would say) most people. Reading labels and finding that this small box of something is labeled as serving 4...or this bottle of pop is really 2.5 servings..can be a real eye opener! I was also shocked to see how little difference things like fat free…

Breakfast: 2 slices of French Toast made with 35-calorie whole wheat with fruit - 1 egg + 2 TBSP skim milk + vanilla/cinnamon to taste. Cook on skillet with Pam, not butter. I eat it covered in chopped strawberries (4-5) and blueberries, and sometimes a banana. 210 calories (315 with banana) 6g protein 9g fiber (12 w/…

Strength training will help lose inches as it compacts the muscles. Calorie deficit is the only way to lose fat, though. Cardio burns more calories. If you want the most bang for your buck, interval training (HIIT) is fantastic because it combines cardio and strength. My best results have been from interval training like…

My resting is usually between 90-100. My bp is always low, too - 90/60 range. When I work out I can get to 150s in about a minute, and if I don't exert much I can stay there easily. When I push hard, I will get to 180ish, and I've been as high as 199, which is well above my calculated max. I saw a cardiologist recently…

Hang in there! It's not an exact science. You will find what works for you. Do you feel yourself gaining strength and stamina? A couple winters ago, I was getting discouraged, too, after working out really hard every day. Then one day, I was at the hardware store and put a 40lb bag of salt (ice-melt) in my cart with no…

Every time I start a new workout program I gain a few pounds first. I think it's partly due to rebuilding deconditioned muscles before the fat actually starts shrinking, and maybe water retention. Also, when you work out, you might eat more - either mentally justifying "deserving" extra, or because you truly create a…

Bump!

This. I think even for experienced yoga enthusiasts the moves are too fast and could be potentially dangerous because you do not have time to get into proper form. Her other stuff is definitely better. The BL videos are a nice change of pace, too.

On a good day, 65 minutes of Zumba. On a time-pressed or feeling icky day, I aim for at least 25-40 minutes. That said, I seem to manage 4-5 days a week. I need to get back into strength training, too, but the Zumba is toning me up more than expected.

I now have all 3 (just bought game 2 last week). Here are my opinions: Zumba Wii 1 (aka Join the Party): Overall: This is fantastic if it's your first game or exposure to Zumba. Visually: The graphics are older because it is an older game. Music: A lot of fun songs that I did not know before; a few that I really like now…

I have been dong Zumba Core on the Wii 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks now. I don't have a scale, but I can definitely tell a change in my shape and energy.

This And shoes....wear shoes! Most people do not have feet designed to take impact barefoot.

I dove right in too. On the first one (Wii) I went back to the tutorials after I couldn't figure out a couple moves. I think once you figure out the patterns, most of the footwork is similar enough to pick up. The arm movements don't matter for Wii so I just do whatever keeps me on balance :)

This

I thought Zumba was logging high calories too, until I started wearing my HRM while I did it and saw it was actually close, but lower than what my Polar reported!

Zumba is an incredible workout! There are 3 games available currently. I burn about 800 calories an hour. It does take a few tries to get the moves right, but you're in your living room so who cares!

30 Day Shred is my favorite for getting up to par from ground zero. You *will* be very sore the first few days. Do it anyway...working it out will lessen the soreness and you will see huge gains quickly in strength. I couldn't do a single pushup when I started and I had to do it using no weights for the first few…

Avenged Sevenfold, AwolNation, Neon Trees, System of a Down, Block B, Finger Eleven, Muse, Lee Hi, All American Rejects...

Oh and STRETCHING! Stretch stretch stretch! Before bed every night, in the morning when you get up, and during the day if you can. I got a good stretch strap when I started physical therapy and it has changed the way I feel every day. If I don't do it, I can tell.

I have found that almost any non-plyometric-based workout DVD will do. It will be tough at first, but modify and do what you can. Can't do the whole video? Do 10 minutes of it, aim for 15 next time. Can't do a move? Modify it to something you can do (step-outs instead of jumping jacks, for example). I've also found that if…

I make this at home for breakfast a lot: 1 banana 3-4 strawberries 8oz orange juice Sometimes I will throw in a handful of blueberries Toss it all in a blender for a few seconds and voila! Only 165 calories for a 16oz glass! Non-dairy and soooo yummy!

2 eggs scrambled (with Pam not butter) with 2% mozzarella and green onions - ~240 cal 1 banana and some strawberries - ~110 cal Total 350 and full till lunch!

Lyrica - Worked OK at first. Even cured my near-daily headaches. Then I started getting really foggy and it stopped helping the pain. Cymbalta - Thought it was working but looking back I don't think so. Side effects weren't great either. Savella - Just started this and have yet to notice anything. It did help me come off…

I started with Lyrica, which helped for a few weeks then started making me (even more) spacy. We added Cymbalta, which helped even more for the next few weeks, then stopped helping at all. Came off the Lyrica, upped the Cymbalta. Spaciness got better but pain didn't. Now I'm on Savella, just come off the Cymbalta over…

I echo Tall_E....Sleep. Sounds obvious and sarcastic, but I mean it. Get solid sleep. If you have fibro, you're probably not getting good sleep. If you're waking up several times a night like I do, that is not helping. If I wake up even once in the night, my whole next day is ruined. I get pain flare ups and am so…

I have the same problem. Padded shorts *made specifically for women*, with a padded seat cover help a lot. Also I'm told chamois cream will help any chafing, but I haven't tried any of that yet. I ride 10-20 miles at a time. I still get a little sore, but not nearly like I used to.

I agree with Mayhem. This site is fantastic! Very supportive and active groups and great advice! I've been struggling against medication and hypothyroid so I have an uphill battle with the loss. But I've been successfully maintaining (stopped the upward creeping!) and even losing a bit thanks to becoming obsessed with this…

I'm 5'10..maybe a little taller. Add me!

I get that all the time. It's probably a spasm in your trapezius. Ice the first day, then heat. Muscle relaxers if you have them. If not, call your doc and see if he can give you some. Stretches don't really help me. Sleep does. So does Ativan (it's in the same family as valium and xanax).