Two weeks have passed since I posted above about starting with the personal trainer, so here is a check-in.

I've had 2 weekly sessions with my trainer, focusing mostly on strength exercises, with some treadmill and elliptical exercise on my own before and after the session. The rest of the week I repeat the strength sessions on two days, and do two aerobic days (treadmill etc., or just walking the dog with a little jogging) for a total of about five 1-hour+ sessions per week. I have frequently had sore muscles during the first two weeks, but I'm happy to realize that I still HAVE some muscles. I want more muscles!

Junk food, stay away from me! I've been a good girl on the diet part, too, cutting out junk food (cookies, candy, chips, etc.) and eating about 1500 calories per day of healthy stuff. I try to include protein and fiber in every meal, lots of veggies and fruit, a little whole grain. Healthy food actually tastes better when I'm not eating any junk food.

The good news: In my first two weeks I have lost about 6 lbs., and I am starting to feel much healthier. Just in the past couple of days, some clothes are fitting a little better (probably because of toning, not just losing a few lbs.). My target weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week but it is motivating to lose a little faster (3 lbs./week) at the beginning.

Does anyone else have a report? I thought this might provide a little extra motivation.

Julie

Hey Julie - great job! My daughter tells me it takes a month to make a habit, so you are almost there!

GO Julie!!

I have a test tomorrow called a "resting metabolic rate" which tells me exactly how many calories I am can eat without gaining any weight without exercise, then they add in how many calories I can expect to burn with my exercise regimen of choice to figure out how many total calories per day I should eat. I have lost a few more lbs eating sort of a diabetic diet for now, but its not like I'm resembling Mary Kate or anything like that! My BMI is in the 26 or 27 range now, still officially in the "overweight" category, but much much better than the 38 I started with. BMI is just another way to insult the short person!!--I am quite short--(to the point I have to hem petite pants normally) and you just can't weigh anything and have a normal BMI when you are short.

My swimming adventure is so-so at best, still can't do the face in the water trick so well, but I did manage to pull off 6 laps the last time I tried, breast stroke and back stroke, of course!! The pool will soon close for the winter here, so not many more chances to do that. School starts on Monday here and that means all the lifeguards are gone. But, my friend and I are walking every morning at 6 am and it is great to bond and exercise at the same time.

Many of the people in our office have lost weight this year and on Thursday we are going to take our "Jared" picture and have it put in the hospital newsletter (I work for a hospital system). I think all together, we've lost more than 250 lbs this year.

How is everyone else doing?

Whoo - this morning I did my first ever spin class - I could hardly walk when I got off that bike! My hat's off to all of you who partake in this form of torture!

Walking has always been my favorite form of excercise. Fall is in the air around here and I LOVE to walk on a nice fall night! It's a beautiful way to see nature, relax, and get some exercise! We're so fortunate in my state to have beautiful state and city parks and I plan on locating some new trails this fall!

Spinning..... sounds like a fractured hip waiting to happen to me!

You're right lafmom - since I haven't been able to walk correctly since getting off that bike - I probably will fall over and fracture a hip! An abundance of lactic acid!

I am so impressed! Spinning is frightening to me.

Walking correctly isn't all its cracked up to be!! Just think how tight your buns and thighs will look as you wobble along!

quote:

I am so impressed! Spinning is frightening to me.

Yes...I'm impressed too Mikamom! Way to go girl!

This is fun to read everyone's efforts toward fitness and weight loss. Good job, everyone!

Mikamom, spinning does sound like it would be tough. Are you going to try it again?

Mom of 2 catchers, how did your metabolic analysis come out? I did the same test about the time of your earlier post, and the number of calories they advised me to eat per day was higher than I had estimated. I think they were right...if I go much lower, I get weak and lethargic, and they explained that my metabolism would also shut down and burn fewer calories...so I would actually not lose weight as easily if I ate too FEW calories!

So far it's slow but steady for me. I'm glad I posted how many lbs. I had lost on Aug. 10th (6 lbs.), as I was just wondering today if I'm now losing too slowly. But it's 3 weeks later and I've now lost 9 lbs., so I'm staying on pace at 1 lb./week. It would be nice to lose faster, but I can keep up what I'm doing in the long run, so I know that's more sensible. Healthy food (protein & fiber at every meal, whole grains, fruit, veggies, no junk food), about 1500 to 1800 calories per day, and around 5 hours of exercise per week (which is at least 4 hours more than I was getting before, LOL!).

Keep up the reports ladies, it is encouraging!


Julie

Well, the test was interesting. My metabolism is just a little slower than average they tell me. I possibly can have up to 1700 cal/day and not gain weight but we set me up for about a 1400 cal daily average so that I have some wiggle room for weekends and other things that come up. I think if I took in 1700 every day I would probably gain weight. so far so good, my weight has bobbled a bit but still holding within 3 lbs both up and down--when I lose too much, I eat doughnuts! Otherwise, I'm pretty religious about my portions and food groups. Right now, its pretty easy to stay within the calories because of all the fresh produce from the garden. It will be a bit different in the winter but I have been freezing things like zucchini to get me ready.

I'm still walking every morning and pretty soon (Ms. Procrastinator here) I am going to start on weights, need to tone up before January. My hubby and I are going to Jamaica for our 10th anniversary, we didn't really get to take a honeymoon when we got married so this is our big fling. I'm pretty excited. Our anniversary is in November, but I'm scared of hurricanes so January is a better choice for us.

Mom of 2 C,

Your January honeymoon sounds fabulous, and it's a great excuse to get started on the weights. You definitely should be able to tone up in 4 months ... I can already see significant difference in my "tone" after only a little more than 1 month. Do you have some idea of what kind of toning you will do?

1400 to 1700 calories sounds very sensible and do-able. "...when I lose too much, I eat doughnuts!" Oh my, I hope I can say that some day!

Is it time for swimsuit shopping yet? And congrats on your 10th anniversary!


Julie

Oh yes, the swimsuit shopping--one word says it all--UGH! I hated it when I was heavier and I hate it now. But, now is the time for me to get the shopping done because there isn't much in the line of summer clothing in Mid-MO in January. So, I've bought about 10 and I keep returning them, but I have decided after going to the local water park, that(hopefully)I don't look any worse than some of the sights I saw there, so I am going to keep the last ones I picked up.

Yes we are excited about the anniversary, it was a second marriage for both of us and we started off with 5 kids and somehow ended up with another one. The odds aren't too good for that situation but I am at least as happy today as I was the day I married him.

I have a weight machine that is adaptable to multiple different positions and muscle groups and I also have some bands and some handheld weights. I have to be careful with the upper body stuff because I have some neck issues and I do like to be able to feel my fingers every day. So I won't do heavy stuff with my arms, just more reps. Ever wish there was an exercise that would pick the girls back up where they belong???

You are inspiring me--still haven't started yet, but I'm working up to it. Catcher #1 is home for the weekend, haven't seen him since the 10th so I'm trying to bond all he will let me, then I am off work this next weekend and will get the junk out of the exercise room and get on it!

Mom of 2 C,

"Catcher #1 is home for the weekend,"

...maybe you should enlist him as your personal trainer and have him show you a workout! Nahh-h-h...

I think I mentioned above that I signed up with a personal trainer once a week for 12 weeks, and that has been helpful to give me a jump start. She has me doing different exercises every week with the equipment you mentioned...the machines with adjustable pulleys and handles that move in 3 dimensions (not fixed bars that only move in a flat plane). And free weights, usually while balancing on the big stability/fitness ball or the half-ball where you stand on the wobbling platform while using dumbbells etc.

Just get started and do anything that works out various muscle groups. Keep it up 3x per week and then try on your swimsuit again in 4 to 6 weeks, I bet you will notice a difference!


Julie

Well, Julie - I went back to the gym today after walking on my treadmill at home a couple but NO SPIN CLASS YET!!!! After not being able to walk for several days - my personal trainer (son at JC) got me back on track and I'm taking it a little slower!!!! But I will get back at it - in time.

Everyone else sounds like they are doing well those trips and special days are great motivators, aren't they?

Fight on!

I applaud you ladies for sticking with it and trying to change yourselves. I gained weight over a rather stressful summer (we have to stay in hotels alot and eat out, and I think I ate to try and hide from the uncertainty of how my son would fare in his first year of college)....I would say at this point I could stand to lose FIFTY pounds myself. Yep, stepped on the scale today KNOWING it wasn't going to be pretty. And the numbers didn't disappoint!

I have tried many things in the past to lose weight....and the weird thing is, I don't eat a lot, and I am pretty active....my body just tends to want to hang onto fat cells for dear life....

I started again today, and I CAN'T stop this time. I have to do it. It's getting kind of late into the game for me....guys my age start having heart attacks and so on....(I'm 47). I've always been an athlete and therefore I am certainly not proud of what has become of my body.

Best of luck to all! If you guys start any kind of motivational contest or anything, please let me know. Korean people are really skinny, and US military people are all buff.......so I'm kind of hangin' out there in the wind

Go Krak! I gained like crazy last summer with travel ball and a way too fast paced life. I feel SO much better now, I'm now down to about what I weighed when I graduated from high school--didn't think I'd ever see those days again. You can do it, it was a "have to" thing for me too, over 40 now and a metabolic nightmare waiting to happen.

Have you ever considered eating the same things the Koreans eat? I have had minimal exposure to Korean food, but my stepson's girlfriend's mother is Korean and he LOVES the food she cooks. She is, of course, skinny as a rail. She has a huge garden and cooks things that sound weird to me, but Justin loves it all (of course, he's crazy about her daughter so there's no way he'd complain!).

Krak,

You go, Guy! You can do it!

"...and the weird thing is, I don't eat a lot, and I am pretty active....my body just tends to want to hang onto fat cells for dear life..."

Maybe you are trying to eat too little when you attempt to lose weight? I don't know if this will apply to men as well as women, but I'm now 49, and I tried unsuccessfully for almost a year to lose this weight. Like you, I got to a point where it felt almost like a matter of life and death. Frequent vigorous, sweaty exercise is one key for me. But also, the personal trainer I met with encouraged me NOT to cut down TOO far on calories, or my body would shut down, trying to conserve calories, so I would not lose weight, but feel sluggish, hungry, weak, etc. And this has been true so far. If I'm hungry, I can eat something, and I try to eat breakfast even if I don't really feel hungry. I choose healthy food, lots of protein and fiber, vegetables, whole grains, some fruit for snacks. I try to stay away from sugar except the natural sugar in fruit. The weight loss is slow (1 lb/week), but it feels like I can keep this up for as long as it takes, because I'm not starving. Are you trying to limit your calories too strictly?

Julie

P.S. Another word of encouragement to everyone:

If my 75-yr-old mother can do it, you ALL can too! My mom joined Curves over a year ago and exercises 3+ times/week. She greatly improved her overall health and strength, and lost 15-20 lbs. But she gained back a little weight over the winter due to eating sweets and getting less exercise. This summer her Curves club had a contest for June-July-August to see which members could lose the most total lbs and inches. My 75-yr-old mom learned last week that she took 3rd place and won $100! Woohoo, congrats, Mom!

i have been following this thread, congrats to you girls for getting it done. i envy your resolve.

krak
i too am at an age where everything is getting worn out. i too thought i was about 50 over weight.
turns out my weihght isn;t the problem. i'm at my ideal weight if i was 7' 11'' . i'm just too short.

quote:

turns out my weihght isn;t the problem. i'm at my ideal weight if i was 7' 11'' . i'm just too short.

Okay....after 5 months of consistent exercise and a change to a more healthy diet...I am glad to report that I am at my high school weight! It's hard for me to believe....but that is what the scale tells me. Now...if only I had a good pair of "hip hugger" jeans and a tube top to try on...I could tell you if that is REALLY true!

Congrats!!