Right Here, Right Now!

roxybc

Well-known member
Good luck with everything! I used to follow the Body for Life plan as well. It worked great. The tips and recipies are awsome. I got in the best shape of my life ever when I fif it, so starting May 1st I'm going to be following it again! Congrats with your progress so far!!!
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Wattage

Well-known member
MAC Whore! This is so exciting! Isn't it awesome how those first pounds just seem to disappear when you have been sedentary for some time!?

Thank you so much for posting this. Throughout my degree, I have learned many of the things you noted above. Most importantly is the notion of lifestyle and health over dieting and losing weight. Because I am in such a image sensititve field, I also learn so much about the physiology and psychology of disordered eating (we call it Ed, kinda like it's a person...). The statistics of those who develop a disordered eating pattern and have also previously "dieted" are staggering. I won't get into the nitty gritty of it but focusing on "being on a diet" and "getting skinny" are unhealthy focal points and can often lead to trouble. I really appreciate your firsthand contribution to this topic.

Thank you for bringing up the point of not beating yourself up over slipping. It is so common for those in a weight loss stuggle to throw in the towel when they have one slip-up. The truth of the matter is everyone slips up; life is all about slipping up, it's just how you handle it. Making a concious effort to eat more veggies the next day when you indulged in too many chips (my TOTAL biggest slip up!) is a good place to start. It's really the little things that add up and make the difference.

I look forward to hearing of your success (and even some stumbling blocks along the way) in your journey. I also look forward to many more of your wonderful contributions to our forum
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by roxybc
Good luck with everything! I used to follow the Body for Life plan as well. It worked great. The tips and recipies are awsome. I got in the best shape of my life ever when I fif it, so starting May 1st I'm going to be following it again! Congrats with your progress so far!!!
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Thanks Roxy! BFL is amazing! I am excited that you are starting on May 1st! Well done! Keep me informed.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wattage
MAC Whore! This is so exciting! Isn't it awesome how those first pounds just seem to disappear when you have been sedentary for some time!?

Thank you so much for posting this. Throughout my degree, I have learned many of the things you noted above. Most importantly is the notion of lifestyle and health over dieting and losing weight. Because I am in such a image sensititve field, I also learn so much about the physiology and psychology of disordered eating (we call it Ed, kinda like it's a person...). The statistics of those who develop a disordered eating pattern and have also previously "dieted" are staggering. I won't get into the nitty gritty of it but focusing on "being on a diet" and "getting skinny" are unhealthy focal points and can often lead to trouble. I really appreciate your firsthand contribution to this topic.

Thank you for bringing up the point of not beating yourself up over slipping. It is so common for those in a weight loss stuggle to throw in the towel when they have one slip-up. The truth of the matter is everyone slips up; life is all about slipping up, it's just how you handle it. Making a concious effort to eat more veggies the next day when you indulged in too many chips (my TOTAL biggest slip up!) is a good place to start. It's really the little things that add up and make the difference.

I look forward to hearing of your success (and even some stumbling blocks along the way) in your journey. I also look forward to many more of your wonderful contributions to our forum
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Thanks for your encouragement, Wattage!
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It is nice to see that Specktra has such a well-qualifed mod for us! We will pick your brains for advice! Oh, and you can count on many more posts about the peaks and valleys of my journey (hopefully more so of the peaks)! Thanks again.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennifer Mcfly
Good Luck!!!
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Thanks!
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Week 4

Ok, so week #4...

I am still going strong. I have now lost 17 lbs. I have been sticking to my workout schedule. My eating has been great, as in really healthy and consistent. I am really starting to enjoy it all. I have started to vary my workouts with diff lifting exercises and diff cardio.

I have been good at pushing myself to improve a bit each week. Yesterday I ran 8.2 miles. Niiiice.

I am currently working on a few things:

-Getting into the zen of the workout. Just focusing on it and not other crap currently cluttering my mind.
-Getting some better music! Man, I am so sick of what I have on rotation at the moment. Utter crap!
-Pick up a few more ab exercises. Most of mine focus on upper and I need some moves for the lower. Suggestions, anyone?
-Keep bumping up the weights. One example: I used to be able to curl 27.5 lbs (single arm with dumbell). I would like to get there again, if not do better. Currently, I am at 17.5

So, all in all, its good. I have so much more energy. Less softy bits, more curve, more muscle. Yeeeeyah!
 

Wattage

Well-known member
Wow - this sounds awesome! I am so excited for you!

Running 8.2 miles is a huge accomplishment! Congrats! You should be so proud of yourself.

I am glad to hear you are focusing on the "zen" of the workout - what we often also call the flow. Just as a side note in case you're interested, this attainment of flow is researched often and is associated with recovery from stress, happiness in other areas of life and a shift to more activity in the right lobe of the cerebral cortex. This shift is believed to be very beneficial in obtaining balance in one's life. That's so awesome that you have been able to achieve this - paired with 17lbs lost - you must feel like a star!!

With the abdominals, it is important to focus on all abdominal groups to really see everything come together. Because it's hard to give specific instructions on the net, I recommend picking up a copy of Shape magazine or going to their website (shape.com). Shape does an awesome job of showing you what muscles you are working and also demonstrating the exercise with photos of a real person. You can also just google "lower abdominal exercises" or just abdominal exercises. There are a wealth of resources out there that provide good ideas on how to work your midsection
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I am so proud of you!! Keep up the amazing work and please continue to keep us in the loop!

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Shimmer

Well-known member
I posted a pic before about those lower transverse abdominis muscles, but I'll repost it here for you
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That'll target those muscles really well as well as hey, strengthen your shoulders a bit at the same time, no?
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Thanks, Wattage! Your encouragement and knowledge is really appreciated! So the "zen" has a name, huh? Go with the flow.
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I will definitely check out Shape mag and their site.

Thanks, Shimmer! I am sitting on a swiss ball at the moment. I think your suggestion would put it to better use. LOL! I can see how that exercise would really be effective. I will try that tomorrow. Thanks, hon!

Oh, and update: I just got back from the gym and my bicep curls no longer top out at 17.5. It's 20 baby!
 

MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Healthy Eating

OK, so I feel that I have been doing pretty well with my eating, but still have some questions. Here is a snapshot of a one day's meals, for example:

7:00-Breakfast-One carb, one protein: 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with strawberries and 1 equal. 2 glasses of water. One cup of coffee w/ 1 equal, one tablespoon of cream. Yes, I could use half and half or non-fat creamer, but this is one area where I just can't be flexible. Plus, for the calories I burn in a day, if this tablespoon of cream is my biggest sin, I can live with it.

9:30-Snack-Protein Bar or Shake: I use Myoplex Lite shakes and Bars. 1 glass of water

12:00-Lunch-One carb, one protein, one veggie: Salad with low-fat dressing, slice of lean turkey, and a low-fat yogurt smoothie. 2 glasses of water.

3:00-Snack: Protein bar or shake. 1 glass of water.

6:00-Dinner: One carb, one protein and one veggie-Skinless chicken breast with Salsa, string beans with tomatoes and and apple. 2 glasses of water

8:30-Snack: Protein bar or shake. 1 glass of water. I don't eat my last bar past 9:00pm.

So, that is a day. I am consuming about 1200-1500 calories per day. I keep this schedule Monday-Saturday. Sunday is my "Free Day". On Sunday, I don't work out and eat what I want. As the weeks have passed, I get less "naughty" on my free day. I just feel like crap when I eat unhealthy food now! Utterly bloated and lazy! But, it does kill my cravings, so it is a necessary evil. Last Sunday's gut bombs were pancakes for breakfast, a coke and hot dog for late lunch/dinner. Yeah, weird combo, but that is what I was craving. I am gradually loosing my taste for those things though. The coke and hot dog just didn't taste as good as I thought they would. Just made me ask myself if it was worth it.

Hey Wattage, I have a question about calories. At they gym, I am burning about 800-1200 calories per day, mon-sat. I still have a good amout of weight that I want to loose, so I am nowhere near my goal weight. Am I cutting myself short on calories? I know that if you eat too little, you can cut down your ability to gain muscle, but I still have a good amount of fat in reserves, so should I worry? BTW: I am loosing 2-3lbs per week. I look forward to your advice.

Shimmer-That ab exercise is amazing! I showed my husband as well. He is in amazing shape. He tried it and said, "Damn, you feel that."

That's all for now!
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Shimmer

Well-known member
2/3 lbs a week is healthy, so you SHOULD be doing okay there.
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DEFINITELY do NOT go any lower than 1200 calories though. That would be a huge nono
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That exercise is something I do three times a week but it makes a HUGE difference. I try to give myself time to rest/heal from it by skipping a day.

I want a weighted medicine ball for this:
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I love this exercise, I have a bubble butt anyway and this just keeps it firm and then some
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If your husband feels adventurous, give him a go at this one
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
WEEK 5-I'm sick! :(

I guess I'll be taking a little break from the gym. I rarely get sick, but yesterday I got it good. Achey, tired, congested, hot then cold then hot, and my throat feels like I am swallowing flaming, rusty razor blades.

So, this is my first slip. Yesterday, when I first got sick, I needed a bit of comfort food, that led to a bowl of mashed potatoes. Today, I chose a somewhat healthier comfort food: a california roll and shitake soup. Better on the carbs, but through the roof in sodium.

I do feel a little better today. I am just frustrated. I want to get better so I can keep up my routine. I am worried about getting derailed from my progress. Waa waa, overall, I am just having a pity party.
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Well, off to bed. The Nyquil is a callin'.
 

Jennifer Mcfly

Well-known member
Don't think of it as a slip. It's not like you feel 100% fine and just don't feel like going to the gym. You ar sick, and it's not good to over exert yourself. When I first started working out, there were many times I canceled workouts b/c I wasn't feeling well. I think if I would've worked out when I felt bad it would've made me hate exercising. So take time to get better. Don't worry about missing a few days or a week, as long as you get back on track when you feel better and stay consistent for the most part then you'll meet your goal!!
Feel better!
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Wattage

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAC_Whore
Hey Wattage, I have a question about calories. At they gym, I am burning about 800-1200 calories per day, mon-sat. I still have a good amout of weight that I want to loose, so I am nowhere near my goal weight. Am I cutting myself short on calories? I know that if you eat too little, you can cut down your ability to gain muscle, but I still have a good amount of fat in reserves, so should I worry? BTW: I am loosing 2-3lbs per week. I look forward to your advice.

Hi MW
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The amount of weight you are losing per week signals that you are eating and exercising within a healthy range. Any more or less could signal a need to review your habits. I think everything looks great!

You shouldn't have to worry about any loss in muscle mass due to low caloric intake. Fat is the first tissue that the body will convert to energy, as it is the most readily available and easy to convert. Make sure you are getting enough protein to help assist in muscle healing and building now that you are doing weight training (aim for 30g or over daily, coming from lean sources).

Keep in mind that as you lose weight, you will most likely require a review of your fitness routine and eating habits. As you become fitter and focus more time on your workouts, you will want to look at what types of foods you are eating, namely carbohydrates, as you seem to be doing a lot of distance running.

If you are burning that many calories in a workout, I recommend staying in at least the 1500 range daily for calories. In addition to these burned calories, everyone has a basal metabolic rate - the amount of calories your bdoy burns in a day doing nothing but keeping you alive. The formulas to calculate BMR can be found easily in exercise manuals or from reliable internet sources. You may want to look at these if you would like a more accurate description of caloric intake and expenditure.

I hope this helps! Please keep us posted!

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Wattage

Well-known member
Aww.. I just read that you are sick
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Hang in there, give yourself time to heal properly. Lots of fluids! Focus on getting better. Don't think of this as a slip at all. Your body is telling you it needs a rest.
 

MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Still Sick!!!!

Man! I think I have had the bubonic plague! Ugh! I have had this crud since last monday, 01 May! I never get sick, so I guess I was due. Well, good news is that it has run its course from absolute misery phase to stuffy-congested phase to coughing phase to the last and ever-so-annoying dry cough-slight congestion phase. Yesterday, the annoying dry cough actually gave me a headache. I just have to let this run its course. It never justifed a doc visit. I didn't want to waste 1 hour of our time to hear my doc say, "Yeah, you have a cold. Drink lots of fluids and get some rest." Good news is, I really think that tomorrow is the day I can get back into the gym. The plan is to do 5 min warm up, 30 min cardio at a heart rate that is cardio-beneficial, but not my max, then 5 min cool down. I want to take it a bit easy my first day back. I know my body isn't ready to "gun it" yet. I don't want to need the crash cart when I am done.
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I miss the feelings of accomplishment from a day's workout. I have been pretty good with my eating. I had two slip-ups early on (see post #12, I believe it is). I tried to eat 5-6 small meals a day, but some days it was more like 4 (you just don't feel like eating that often when you are sick). I also miss something that I don't exactly know how to describe other than the "tightness". Sounds painful, but its not!
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I am talking about the fact that I felt less bloated when I worked out regularly. My stomach felt flatter, almost tight, despite not being at my goal-range of weight/body fat.

Well, enough of my whiney musings! I am off to take some Robitussin. MMMMMM. Send me good vibes so I can get into the gym tomorrow! I will have to wipe the dust off my gym card.
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Hey! I'm still alive! I am finally over my plague. After literally being sick for a week and a half, I am back to being healthy and ready to roll. I still have yet to get back to normal speed in the gym, as the last half of last week was spent preparing for a job interview. I focused a bit more on the interview than pushing my workouts. Good news is, I got it! I am really excited. Landing this job was really a HUGE step for me. It is a leaps-and-bounds advancement over my previous position.

I live only 15 minutes away from my new job. I only have to take two roads to get there. Here is the great part, right were I turn from the first road to the second, right smack in the middle of my "commute", is my gym! Is that a sign, or what? Every night I can hit the gym before I go home!
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That will definitely be the new goal: Adjusting to the new schedule!

Monday, I will be back on my regular gym routine. I don't start the new job for about a week and a half, so I have time to pump it up big style before my schedule gets tighter.

It's all coming together! Don't you just love it when that happens?
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MAC_Whore

Well-known member
Supplements and an Update

So I have been at it for approximately 2 months and have lost 20lbs! Woo hoo! I feel much more energetic, lighter on my feet and my clothes fit so much better!

My next goal is to increase my leg workouts. I want to incorporate lunges. I was holding off on them as a knee and ankle felt a bit dodgy when I first started working out, but they are fine now. Probably because they are not carrying around that extra 20 lbs!
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Seriously, if you want to qualify your success, go to the weight room and pick up a dumbell as heavy as the weight you have lost! Oh how awful it felt to realize that I used to carry that much extra fat around! How unhealthy! Yuck!

ON TO THE SUPPLEMENTS.......

I have been taking some supplements. I am taking them because they are recommended with the Body for Life plan which I sort of follow. I have read about what they supposedly do, but overall I am not super knowledgable in this area. I can't tell how much they can be credited for my success, as I haven't been trying to get in shape without them.

This is what I take:

CLA-Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Thermo Dynamx- A thermogenic fat burner
Betagen-Contains Creatine, HMB and L-Glutamine

So, I guess my questions are to Wattage:

-What are your feelings on supplements?
-Is what I'm taking even helpful? (I can provide more detailed info. I just have to pop over the the EAS website to get it. They are all EAS products).
-What should I be taking?
-What have you heard about the Cortisol supplements?

Wattage, I know you are buried under a stack of text books right now, so if I don't hear from you for awhile, I understand!
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Hope your exams are going well!

Anyone else have thoughts on supplements?
 

kaliraksha

Well-known member
I don't have anything to comment on supplements because I have no personal experience with them... my boyfriend took them and he said he noticed a big difference. However, I just wanted to comment and say that your journal has been a real inspiration and I love your attitude about this and I'm proud of you! Please keep posting =)
 

MAC_Whore

Well-known member
OMG! This New Work Schedule is Killing Me!

OK, so I started my new job last week. The plan was to go to work and hit the gym on the way home. Well, that happened about 3 times as opposed to my usual 6. I was all set to go today (Monday) as well, to start the week off right, but had a thumping headache by 12:00. My new job keeps a really busy pace and is uber stressful right now, as I am in the process of learning. Don't you just hate the first 2 weeks or so in a new job when you don't know a thing? I will vomit if I have to say, "I'm not sure, let me look into that and get back to you" one more time! Urrgh! My job went from 0-60 in 5 seconds.

On the eating front, I have had a few slips as well. Stress eating. Funny thing is that now I just don't enjoy the food. I just think about the fact that I am taking steps backward from my weight loss goal and a healthier lifestyle. That helped me from giving into several other fat-laden temptations. For the first time in my life, I am actually realizing the action of stress eating. It is no longer a blind, automatic action. So, I will give myself credit for that. That is a big step.

So, what have I done to fix this?

I spent Memorial weekend getting caught up on life. Cleaning house, laundry, etc. so that I don't have that distraction this week. I have packed my gym bag and it is in the trunk, ready to roll. I went shopping for work-friendly, healthy food. And lastly, but definitely not least, I AM NOT GOING TO BEAT MYSELF UP OVER MY "SLIPS". That leads to guilt and is not productive! So, let tomorrow be the day. I am ready to feel recharged from a good workout! Send me good vibes.

Oh, and thanks Kaliraksha, for the words of encouragement. I need them right now!
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