Fitness and Good Health for '04 and Beyond

[NightOwl]

Toni, so glad you are now using your Door Gym!  When I got mine back in January, I wasnt sure  just how useful it was, but have found it to be a great, cheap, small and simple  device and I really love mine.  I have combined mine with several additional stretchable tension bands and it provides   a gentle form of resistance great for muscles  similar to weight-lifting but without the danger of over-straining.  Also, it's helping me re-shape some of the jiggly parts of myself.

I have finally knocked off another 2 pounds and  judging by the way my clothes fit, they are two pounds of FAT!  as I'm into a size smaller of jeans and that is pretty satisfying.  All together it has taken me about  2 months to lose 12 pounds, but the main thing  about it is :  I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER and so much more energetic.

Ab Diver--where are you these days?  Maybe too busy practicing for the run to write--I hope all is going well.

Andi, are you back on track with your program?  It's harder when you are feeding a large family to take the time to care for yourself, but it is so worthwhile.

Well, here's to all of us who are trying to  take better  care of  that miraculaous creation we call "the human body."  The Bible says it is the "temple of God."  A wonderful  expression of how very special our physical beings are.  And a reminder that  we owe a debt to care  WISELY  for that "temple"

[wiininkwe]

Just managed to weather my first major "food holiday" while 'livin la vida lo-carb', and I have to say that I am darned proud of myself.   No, I didn't even try to prohibit those lovely foods that have been on my forbidden list from passing my lips!  I allowed myself a small amount of the things that I have been avoiding, just so I wouldn't end up being all resentful and bummed out later.  They did taste good, but not as good as I had thought they would.  I guess that close to 6 weeks without  sugar or starch to speak of really did break the habit for me.   I even went so far as to have a small slice of pecan pie.  Am having no ill effects today, but did have some trouble sleeping last night.  (Probably a sugar buzz)   I hope that all of you had a great Easter Holiday, and even if you didn't stick exactly to whatever plan you are following, don't despair, it's a new day, a good day to do something good for yourself.
T

[B-flat]

I do feel that it is important to have one meal meal (in moderation) a month, off the diet, so that you are not completely deprived.  Then, the very next day, get right back on the diet.  I am proud that I didn't get off my diet on Sunday since I am saving up for a special event on Friday and have to fit into the dress. I stuck to the low carbs diet and did have a baked potato which I'm allowed to have once a week, if I want.

[Calstate361]

BUMP

 
Hey, how are all of you doing on your life changes (diets)?  No one has posted since 4/12 in this thread.
 
AbDiver (Dave), how are you doing on you training?
 
Joan

[wiininkwe]

I almost forgot about posting here!   I'm still hanging in there, have lost 15 pounds so far, and it seems like it's taking forever.   But, I am still seeing the good body changes, and increases in strength and endurance.   I got a new bike last week, so exercising is getting to be much more fun, and easier.  And, I'm still managing the low carb plan, no problems with that.  I like Livin' La Vida Locarb!
T

[B-flat]

I'm doing very well with the low carb diet.  I've lost about 10 pounds and took a little break from the diet on the weekend of my Wedding a week ago.  I've gotten back on the diet without any problems.  The weight loss seemed rather slow, though when I was on some antibiotics for a nasty sinus and ear infection.  I assume that when my body readjusts after the antibiotics that the pounds will start to drop.  Has anyone else noticed a difference while on antibiotics?

[MommaMia]

I'm doing very well with the low carb diet.  I've lost about 10 pounds and took a little break from the diet on the weekend of my Wedding a week ago.  

Welcome back!  Did anyone ever figure out where you were holed up?  Were you at home like someone suspected?

[B-flat]

I was first holed up at a music making on the evening after the wedding.  The folks there had a very nice buffet supper for everyone in the music barn behind their house (modern, metal barn with a heated/cooled room on one end.)  The food was wonderful and I didn't overdo on the eating while thinking of the 10 lbs I had just lost so as to fit into the wedding clothes.  We went home afterward.  Next day I was taken to the Dr's office in the afternoon as the nasty sinus and ear infection had returned and it was making me feel kind of dizzy and unbalanced.  Yes, we holed up at home because I wasn't feeling very well and it was no fun to be newly married and sick!  I had just come off a round of antibiotics on Wed before the wedding and thought I was doing great, but apparently the meds were not strong enough.  I will be finished with the 2nd round this Friday.  I have found that the weight just isn't coming off right now and I think it has something to do with the antibiotics....would like to know if others have had this problem, too.  Oh yes, DH, the new Mr. B-flat has been wonderful and has taken very good care of me.

[Ab Diver]

BUMP
 
 
Hey, how are all of you doing on your life changes (diets)? No one has posted since 4/12 in this thread.
 
AbDiver (Dave), how are you doing on you training?
 
Joan

Hiya Joan, and everybody. Sorry, haven't been on the forum lately, been concentrating on family stuff, letting the girls use the puter for homework (which really paid off in their report cards--- can you say Proud Parents?) and putting in a lot of miles running.
 
Had a memorable thing happen last week during part of a run when I paced a pod of Grey Whales not 150 feet offshore for almost three miles. Shouldn't have been a problem, cuz these weren't those lightning-fast dolphins, and we all know that whales are slo-ooooow, right? Yeah, right... it took everything I had just to keep up with the pod, and they even had a couple calves with them. It's very humbling to think a baby whale is faster than you, and that it will continue that same pace all the way to Alaska. But it was kinda special for me-- not everybody gets a chance to run with the whales.
 
Yesterday was my longest run yet-- 16.3 miles. Totally kicked my butt, but it was worth it. And can you believe it, I'm still slowly GAINING weight! Up to 211 now. Grrrr... Yeah, I know body muscle weighs more than body fat, but it sure would be nice if some of that body muscle would come out of hiding.
 
Take care all. Way to go on the 15 pounds, Toni! Elisa, congrats on the down-sizing! Just don't downsize that which is SUPPOSED to jiggle.  
And a special virtual hug and CONGRATS to B-flat (it's Andi, right?) on the nupitals.  :#

[B-flat]

Thanks abdiver, it's me, Nancy and the new Mr. B-flat is Jerry, aka banjo man.  

[NightOwl]

Nancy, I'm so glad for you that Jerry knows how to deliver some TLC to his  bride! :S  If ever a sinus infection picked a bad time to hang around this was it.   But it does sound as though a lot of people are happy for you and  wanted to get your marriage off to a great start.

Oh Dave!  What a magical thing it must have been to run along the shore and watch those mysteriious and magnificent creatures rolling along in the waves.  I cant imagine anything more inspiring than seeing the moms and their calves keeping up with the pod.

Wow--over 16 miles now!  :W   what an accomplishment!  And what a loving way to remember and honor a friend.  

Muscles, Dave, muscles.  One cannot have too many of them just so they dont migrate to your head.:J

Like Toni and Nancy, I am eating with care and being active--using my Pilates Machine lately as my treadmill has died and  I havent  returned to our evening walks yet.

Thinking of getting an elliptical thing or a glider next time instead of a treadmill.Anyone  have personal experience with one of them?

[wiininkwe]

I just wanted to mention that I have now lost 20 pounds.   I am sooo geeked!!   I feel wonderful, exercising gets easier all the time, and I have so much more energy.   A year ago at this time I dreaded a simple trip to the grocery store, too much time on my feet, all that walking and then carrying the groceries from the car into the house.  Yesterday I realised that not only is grocery shopping easier, I don't even think twice now about running other errands and then doing the shopping.  (i used to plan everything for different days, couldn't handle too many chores at one time)  
I'm still low carbing, and that's become almost second nature now.  I don't have to really wonder about "How am I going to do this, and what will I eat?"   There are times, when the plan just doesn't work, (last sat. we were invited out to a bar-b-que dinner at Famous Dave's) so I don't sweat the small stuff.  I ate a little bit of everything, even the baked beans and coleslaw, but NO potato salad.  The next day I got right back into the swing of things and stuck to my plan.   It didn't hurt a thing.      
One thing I'm noticing is that my clothes are getting too big.  I don't want to start buying a new wardrobe yet, I don't plan on staying at this level for too long.   So, for a while these clothes will just have to do, and maybe when i do buy new ones that don't bag all over and people see me in them they will be more surprised at how I look.  LOL  
Just wanted to say thanks for all the encouragement I've gotten from all of you, and for the rest of you, HANG IN THERE, it does get better and easier.
T
 

[birol]

That is soo good to see you shed what you didn't want to have Toni ! I should follow your method .

I lost around 6 Lbs since we started but it is pissing me off ! it is sooo slow and I want to loose at least 30 Lbs in no time !!!

Now that the weather is better I am able to take long walks and hopefully loose it faster. I cut a lot on Macaroni and bread Pizza (my favorite) and also no midnight snacking Little bit more exercise and hopefully I nwill go down to my dream weight by summer ! (ok not summer, fall maybe

[vjm1639]

WOW...congratulations Toni!!!  You should be soooo proud of yourself for sticking with it!
 
 
:-()

[Ab Diver]

First off, (blush) apologies to Nancy, and Congrats to you and Jerry again.
 
Major high-fives to Toni! 20 lbs. represents a LOT of determination and "stick-to-it-tiv-ness" (is that a word?). Keep at it, cuz it only gets better and better. You will be amazed at how much energy you will have. Part of my problem is that I tend to "carb-out" before a run and load up on high-energy foods. That kinds of goes against the whole diet way of doing things.  
 
BTW... some dear friends thought that was really neat about the whales, and gave me a tiny gold whale to wear as a good luck totem while running. They called me "Runs With Whales" (eat your heart out, Kevin Costner   ) Any idea what that translates to in your Mother Tongue?
 
 
 

Muscles, Dave, muscles. One cannot have too many of them just so they dont migrate to your head.

LOL. Nope, I know I'm still just a beginning runner, and there will ALWAYS be somebody a LOT faster than I am, and who can run a LOT farther. So no chance of having anything migrate to my head and it getting any bigger. Actually, it's the other way around for me. I have a problem with things migrating *away* from my head... Let's just say I'm folically challenged. I shaved my head a while ago to support a buddy fighting cancer, and only had to shave "around" my head.
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