| Forum | Topic | Date | Replies |
 |
|
|
|
| Motivation | Did you improve any part of your life in 2007? | Jan 04 2008 12:24 (UTC) |
27 |
| In 2007 I..... - Lost 34 lbs! - Got strong - Dropped my bloodpressure back into normal range - Learned to eat healthy In 2008 I will.... Keep it all going and stay on track..... See you next year! |
|||
| Motivation | My Husband is No Longer Attracted to Me | Jul 31 2007 15:41 (UTC) |
24 |
| Hi micrand, I am 39, divorced, raising my son. I haven't really experienced the same situation that you are faced with, but I wanted to tell you that this site really works. I have always considered myself an athlete, but after my child was born, I gained weight and had severe problems with Plantar Faciitis in both feet and knee troubles. I felt horrible about myself first, because I was gaining weight, and second, because I could no longer do any of the atletic things that I enjoyed. I got depressed and did not have a good self-image. I left my husband for various reasons and yo-yo'd up and down with my weight for many years. Sometimes I'd gain or lose 30 lbs in a year. NOT GOOD! Then I found this site after I had my feet fixed and my knee surgery. It taught me all the things I needed to know about losing the weight, eating healthy, and maintaining my weight loss. I'll be 40 in September and I haven't felt this good in 15 years! :-) One piece of advice I will pass on to you is that you must do 2 things.....count your calories and be aware of the combination of proteins, fats (healty ones only!), carbs, sugars, etc that you consume, establish and exercise routine that works for you and that you can stick with basically for the rest of your life. I have tried doing one or the other and I always put the weight back on. Now that I am doing both, the pounds melted away quickly and I can easily maintain even if I don't work out 5 days/week. I now know enough about foods and nutrition to make it easy to keep the weight off and working out regularly reminds me of all the work I put in to losing the weight, so I am not as tempted to binge or get off my diet for a long period of time. As for working out.....I know that finding a time when you can work out is tough with young children. You just have to do it! Give up some of the time baking for exercise, or pick a time when the kids are napping or sleeping and have a backup time if things get thrown off the normal routine for that day. Sometimes the best times to work out are those times when you are tempted to binge or sit down in front of the TV. Invest in equipment if you can't leave the house, it's worth it. Hope this helps and good luck! |
|||
| Fitness | Calorie-Count 5k version 2.0 (voting on page 5 for v3.0) | May 08 2007 14:15 (UTC) |
76 |
| Pandajen I'm in. New runner here but I'd like to be able to run the whole thing by July. Right now I'm run/walking it! |
|||
| Fitness | college student looking for time to exercise | Mar 21 2007 17:06 (UTC) |
4 |
| Hi, I've been through many different changes and tried to stay active all of my 39 years. Here is what I have learned: 1. In college, I worked two and three jobs at a time so I didn't get to the gym that often. However, my campus was extremely hilly, so I did a lot of walking and didn't sweat it too much. You may be able to just count your calories to loose the weight and do a short routine near your dorm/apt to add to the walking you are already doing. When I transferred to a smaller school with less walking, I started gaining weight and needed the gym more. 2. Before kids, my workout routine worked best and was consistent very early in the AM. I got up around 5, headed out the door around 5:30, drove 45 min. to the town that I worked in, went to the gym and worked out, then showered and made it to work by 7:30. 3. After kids, life changes drastically. There doesn't seem to be time for anything except the house and the child. I had a really hard time finding a consistent time to exercise if any time at all. So, I didn't do much other than chores and yard work. I started gaining and having trouble with my feet and knees. The more problems I had, the less I was able to exercise (even just walking). 4. Now....Well, I'm down almost 30 lbs since November 2006 and only have 4 more to go! I had knee surgery and foot surgery on both feet summer before last. This made me decide that my health is just as important as anything else in my life, if not more. So, I started putting exercising and eating healthy on the top of my list. I didn't let work interfere and I didn't feel guilty when I made my son sit by the front door of the gym and wait for an hour. I'm in the best shape since my teens! The moral of this story is that it took some pretty drastic events for me to realize that my health is one of the most important things in my world. If you really want to loose weight and stay in shape, you must make it one of your top priorities. I even take leave sometimes just so I won't miss a workout. Hope these words of wisdom from someone who has been there will help you. Good luck! |
|||
| Fitness | Dance Dance Revolution | Mar 14 2007 15:38 (UTC) |
17 |
| Hi all DDR users! My friend plays DDR with her daughter and really likes it. My only concern is that I have to wear tennis shoes due to Plantar Fasciitis in my feet. Can you buy better/shoe compatible mats? How much and where? Thanks! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Anyone for a group for women over 40 trying to get back in shape via diet & excercise? | Mar 09 2007 17:47 (UTC) |
|
| Hi all, I'm 39 and a half and a single mom. I'm 5'10" and currently 163 (started Nov. 06 @ 188). Decided after knee surgery and two procedures on my feet that I wanted my life back BEFORE I turned 40! My goal is to be in the best shape since high school by my Sept. birthday. Can I join? Verdimae, I broke down and paid for a trainer because I decided that my health was more important than the money and it was well worth it. I'm just doing it for a half year, then I'll be on my own. We all tend to put our needs after our families and work. It's time to do something for ourselves!!!!! For anyone doubting that they'll ever get their girly figure back, believe me it can be done by counting calories and working out......I've lost the baby belly that I thought I'd have forever.....YEAH! |
|||
| Fitness | Shoe Recommendations | Mar 05 2007 16:37 (UTC) |
2 |
| Hi all, Just thought I would mention that we are probably talking about high end New Balance and high end Asics here. I had terrible problems with my feet for many years. I only buy the best now and my last pair were Asics Gel Kayano (supposed to have the most cushion of any running shoe and are moderate in the stability area). I just bought New Balance 992's day before yesterday. I'm going to try them for a while. They do not have as much rocker as the Asics, but are also a good cushion running shoe for larger people. In the past I have also had good luck with the Brooks Addiction and Brooks Beast. These also do not have much rocker but are very stable, cushioned, and long lasting shoes. My Physical Therapist reccomended the Asics because she said for my stride, I needed more rocker than the Brooks shoes gave me. We'll see how the NB compare after a few weeks in the gym. Good luck! |
|||
| Fitness | fear of working out | Feb 27 2007 21:24 (UTC) |
6 |
| I agree with MWZ. Sounds like you are addicted to exercising. You may also be overdoing it to the point that your body is burning muscle just to keep it running! | |||
| Fitness | Do you have to sweat to get a good workout? | Feb 26 2007 19:32 (UTC) |
|
| I joke that I sweat like a man, but I've seen girls who don't sweat at all. Just wanted to warn you that if you don't sweat, you could be prone to overheating. We had a girl with us on a trip to the southwest and she did not sweat. She didn't drink enough water and wound up passing out on us. She didn't think she needed the extra water since she wasn't sweating it out like the rest of us. Hope this helps! |
|||
| Fitness | Whey Protein / How Much Protein? | Feb 26 2007 12:45 (UTC) |
1 |
| Mnguy, I got a great tip from my trainer and it really works. Whey protein can make you very bloated and gassy. Buy some natural fiber powder and mix a spoonful in with your shake and you won't feel bloated. I use EAS 100% Whey protein mix. I like the vanilla flavor. I also buy it at Sam's club for much less than GNC! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Runner's appetite! | Feb 08 2007 17:48 (UTC) |
4 |
| Lk, Just curious, but how tall are you? 120 sounds tiny to me but I'm 5'10" and I haven't seen my target weight of 156 lbs in 11 years (since I had my son). However, I'm now down to 168 and I feel and look good (I started at 188 in Nov 06). My body likes this weight and I don't feel fat so I'm not worried about it. I am trying to build muscle so I need to ignore the scale a little bit. Hope this helps you feel more comfy with where you are at! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Post your Start/ goal current weights | Jan 30 2007 12:27 (UTC) |
241 |
| Hi all, Start: 188lbs around 11/1/06 Current: 168 on 1/30/07 YEAH! Only 12 to go! Goal: 156 I've never counted calories until I found this site in Nov. I really believe that this is what was always missing in my weight equation. I'm working out pretty hard too. Prior to CC, I worked out but yo-yo'd for years on my weight. I feel like I'm more educated and know how to maintain once I reach my goal. |
|||
| Fitness | Improper technique? Tricep curls from a low bench | Jan 26 2007 17:24 (UTC) |
|
| Thanks for all the advice. I looked at the pic for "skull crushers" and that is what I was trying to do. I believe I may have had my arms a little too far over/behind my head at the start (so that I wouldn't crush my skull :-). Anyway, that may have been what caused me to arch my back as well as the fact that I was probably going past the 90 degree mark. Thanks to all. I think I'll just avoid this one and do some of the alternative exercises for triceps. |
|||
| Motivation | 5'8 - 5'9 club | Jan 25 2007 17:25 (UTC) |
48 |
| Hi all, I'm 5'10" with long legs and a short torso. It seems like I've tried out every jeans manufacturer known to man/woman and I'll tell you what I've found..... Levi's were absolutely my fav because they were long enough, didn't shrink in length, and most importantly....They DID NOT hang down several inches in the straddle like most company's med-tall to talls do. I can't stand that. For reference, I have a 33" inseam. So, what's the problem? Well, Levi's no longer makes the old original jeans....All the women's are now made out of that stretchy stuff as mentioned by someone else on the post. I'm absolutely sick about it. I even went to a Levi's outlet and said "Where are the real women's jeans" where I was informed that they are no longer making them. Has anyone else confirmed this? Seems strange to abandon a long time classic hit for a new fad like stretchy jeans! In short, I don't buy St. Johns bay because they shrink in length. I tried med-talls in LLBean and they are long in the straddle. Anything ordered from JCPenney in a tall will also be very long in the straddle (my sister is 6'+ and she tried to hand some smaller sizes down to me but they are annoyingly long in the straddle). I have been able to wear Calvin Klein jeans. My new favorite is Carharrt for women. They are more similar to Levi's than any other that I have found. Hope this helps! P.S. I don't do heels with the exception of a short boot with a wide 2.5" heel. My ex-hubby was only 5'6" so I made him where cowboy boots to the wedding....Pretty funny, eh? |
|||
| Motivation | hey now, what about the 170's club?!? | Jan 25 2007 17:12 (UTC) |
423 |
| I'm in. Started Nov. 06 at 186 lbs and I'm down to 171, YEAH! Looking for 160's soon. I have 13 lbs to go! | |||
| Weight Loss | What am I doing wrong? | Jan 24 2007 20:34 (UTC) |
13 |
| Maybe it would help up your metabolism if you split up your standard lunch into, lunch and a couple of light snacks through the day. You could have the granola bar between breakfast and lunch and save the raw veggies for a mid-afternoon snack. Seems to work for me, plus it keeps me from feeling hungry or eating one meal that is too large. Good luck! |
|||
| Health & Support | birth control and weight gain | Jan 23 2007 18:24 (UTC) |
26 |
| Hi Zizi, I am 39 and have been on various BC medicines and devices over the years. I always find that anytime I put a BC medicine of any sort into my body, I gain weight. I have been on the Depo shots for about a year now (gained almost ten lbs right out of the gate) and have managed to work off about 16 lbs, but it took a lot of calorie watching and a tremendous amount of exercise. I just changed to an IUD, so I'll let you know if my weight loss seems to speed up. I am optimistic! Good luck! |
|||
| Fitness | Workout ideas for bad knees? | Jan 23 2007 18:14 (UTC) |
14 |
| I agree with dwetter! My knees aren't quite that bad but when I first tore the cartilage in my early twenties my ortho surgeon basically told me not to do anything that "might" re-injure my knee. That just lead to me being out of shape and my knees/leg muscles getting weaker and weaker. I've made a pact to strengthen my knees this year. I'm working with a trainer and have discussed that I want to build muscle mass in my legs to support my knees. I also went over what causes my knees to tear cartilage as best I could. The strength in my legs has greatly improved since Nov when I began. I am doing squats and lunges that I couldn't do for 15 years! It hurt at first, but I just made sure my positioning was correct (trainer helps) and that my movements were very controlled. I don't rush on anything I do. I don't do any aerobic type of quick movements. My point is that if you don't use it, you lose it. Even if you have problems, there is still a chance that you can strengthen for better support. I am amazed at what a couple of months of weight training has done for me! I was an athlete like dwetter and my docs always say that I've worn out my body, but I wonder what he tells folks who never exercise???? It was depressing for a long time, when I was told not to do the things that I loved. I'm taking control of my health and my life now and I don't always follow doctors orders. Food for thought! Good luck! |
|||
| Fitness | Ask the Trainer! | Jan 19 2007 19:35 (UTC) |
9 |
|
Thanks PandaJenn! It means a lot. It's been a long road. The knee tore first in my early twenties and, following doctor's orders, I basically quit everything except some targeted weight training to strengthen ONLY the inner muscle in my quads (not sure the name of the muscle). This actually just made me weaker since I no longer participated in anything that I thought might re-injure my knee. Then in my mid-twenties, I had my son and developed the foot problems shortly afterwards (everything loosened up!). A little over a year ago, I could barely walk to the mailbox at the end of a workday because of my feet (I am 39 now, so it had been a really long time since I felt 100%). After all the surgeries, I discovered that my feet didn't hurt nearly as much if I at least did some walking each day (I have a desk job which I think contributed to the demise of my feet). Up until grad school and the birth of my son, I was very athletic and active. I babied my knees for 15+ years, and my feet just completely shut down my activity level. So I fixed them all at one time (spent 6 weeks out of work) and made a vow that I'd never lose the use of either again! This was a classic case of "Use it or Lose it!" with a few other complications thrown in. I am a firm believer in that phrase. My feet have healed to a level I never thought I'd see again and my knee is slowly getting stronger and I can no longer feel the tear in the cartilage when I lift weights. Take it from me folks, if you have a pain, get back in the gym or go for a walk and work it out! You'll feel much better than taking 1200 mg of Ibuprophen every day for 10 years!!!!! (Your organs will probably thank you later too!). Well, I'm down 16 lbs since mid-Nov. 06 and I'm strong and happy! Anyone dealing with Plantar Faciitis is welcome to ask me for advice. I can save you a lot of money, pain, and lost time. I've been through the whole gamet of treatments and don't mind sharing what I've learned. :-) |
|||
| Fitness | Ask the Trainer! | Jan 19 2007 16:01 (UTC) |
11 |
| Hi Lkodc, I have a question. Summer before last I had knee surgery to repair torn cartilage (second time it has torn). I also had high intensity shockwave therapy on both feet as a last resort to treating severe Plantar Faciitis.....Anyway, my patella in my right knee tends to slip over the boney ridge on the right side of my knee if I mis-step. I have been working out since Nov. 06 and started working with a male trainer. He had me doing pretty much just weight training because I am trying to build strength and muscle mass in my legs without reinjury (I wanted to make sure my form was perfect before I started training on my own). My upper body is fairly strong but we worked some on it and my core strength too. I feel pretty comfortable doing the upper body and core stuff on my own but I always seemed to injure something when trying to do lower body without any training..... Now, my male trainer quit his job and they assigned me a female trainer who is more into the aerobic style combination leg and arm exercises and we are doing some core stuff on a mat with an exercise ball. To be honest, I feel like her workout kicks my tail quite a bit more than the guy's workout (mostly in the aerobic sense, but sometimes I feel like I'm pulling muscles, not just exhausting them). I am concerned that the quick, uncontrolled moves may result in another injury which I can't afford. Her workout also confuses me on what I should be doing on my non-trainer days since she combines so many things. I.e, I don't know whether I should do upper body lifting or lower body or just do cardio the day before I train with her or not. I guess I just felt more comfortable doing one day of upper body weights, one day of lower body weights and then cardio and one more day of upper/lower/core weights on my non-trainer days. Should I be worried about the more aerobic style training? Should I request another trainer or just ask my trainer to adjust the routine to what I feel safe doing? You and the trainers know a heck of a lot more than I do about proper workouts, so I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help! |
|||
| The Lounge | What State are you in? | Jan 17 2007 20:04 (UTC) |
132 |
| Asheville, NC girl here! I'm actually a native too....that's rare around here! | |||
| The Lounge | i know its not that much of an accomplishment but... | Jan 17 2007 20:01 (UTC) |
1 |
| Great Job! Don't sweat your first choice. I was one of those kids who just didn't test well on standardized tests. I had very good grades, but the big schools just looked at the SAT scores. So, I went to one of my backup schools, then trasferred to a smaller school close to home. I got a great education and liked the smaller school better since my professors actually new my name and everyone else's in the class. 10 years later, I decided to look into an advanced degree since I was stuck with a horrible boss. I was terrified of taking the GRE's. I studied like crazy (with a new baby at home and working full time), took the test and did OK. Anyway, my GRE's weren't anything to get up and scream about, so I met with the program director at NC State (one of the schools that turned me down for my undergrad). He accepted me because of my field experience and grades. Then, about 6 months into the program he wanted me to re-take the GRE's to try and improve my scores (basically for bragging rights betweem major universities....they try to keep their GRE/SAT entrance averages VERY high). I refused and told him to give me a year to prove that I deserved to be there. I made only one B+ (the rest were straight A's) in two years of grad school and never did have to repeat that stinking test. I gained the respect of my advisor and professors, brought in a $500,000 contract for the department, and became a strong advocate for the department being a little more accepting of those folks who don't fit the "perfect" image that they previously desired. They started to listen! Some of us just have to work a little harder for what we want. I've seen a lot of geniuses out there that barely pass classes because they are lazy. I'd much rather work hard and feel proud. You should feel proud and always remember that if you get turned down by some critic at a particular school, you still have a chance later on! Never let them tell you you can't do something! |
|||
| Fitness | What should I eat before & after a workout? | Jan 17 2007 19:24 (UTC) |
4 |
| Hi all, Thanks for the info. After reading all the posts, I realize that I have been taking in a lot more protein than carbs (thinking that carbs were mostly bad). Maybe this is the reason for my exhaustion and weakness. I will try to find something to give me a 4/1 ratio carbs/protein and see how I feel. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't losing muscle from improper nutrition or over exercising. Thanks! |
|||
| Fitness | What should I eat before & after a workout? | Jan 17 2007 18:16 (UTC) |
7 |
| Kris2theti, My father is diabetic and so was my grandmother, so I try to stay away from the refined sugars. Chocolate milk is really packed with sugar so I probably wouldn't use it as a workout suppliment. Hope it works for you though cause it sure tastes good! Thanks! |
|||
| Fitness | Ouch! | Jan 17 2007 18:08 (UTC) |
2 |
| Try an exercise ball and a couple of dumbells. You can do a lot of strengthening and toning with these and combine it with a cold weather walk around the neighborhood or a little calisthenics in the house. I am amazed at how I can challenge myself with my exercise ball! The ball and dumbells are cheap too. |
|||
| Fitness | What should I eat before & after a workout? | Jan 17 2007 17:55 (UTC) |
9 |
| OK, so maybe the reason I've been feeling weak during and after some of my workouts is because I wasn't taking in the proper nutrients at the proper times. I was afraid that if I took in carbs right before a workout (either weight lifting or on my cardio days) that I would not burn fat. I had also heard that I shouldn't eat anything within 30 min. of a workout to get the fat burn benefits. I still have about 15 lbs to lose but I am also trying to build muscle (especially in my legs since I am post knee surgery). I usually don't go longer than 60 minutes in a single workout, however on some days I do lift and then do cardio (30 min of each). I would rather feel strong during my workout and gain muscle rather than to lose weight rapidly. So, what I am hearing from ya'll (southern girl here :-) is that I should take in some basic carbs just prior to workout and that I need a carb/protein 4 to 1 ratio product or food within 30 min. of a workout. Is this correct? Do you have any suggestions of the types of simple carbs (other than pre-packaged suppliments) that would qualify? P.S. I don't drink sport drinks. Usually just plenty of water. My protein suppliment is EAS brand 100% Whey protein mix. Also, I've been feeling weak if I work out 6 days a week. Is that too much for a female? My routine is day 1 Cardio 30-60 min, day 2 with trainer-abs, legs, cardio mix, day 3 cardio&upper body weights, day 4 trainer - weights (legs), day 5 off, day 6 Cardio, day 7 weights- upper body. Is one day off a week enough rest? Thanks for the help! |
|||
| Fitness | advice for those who have no motivation to exercise | Jan 10 2007 18:06 (UTC) |
7 |
| Hi! I have had trouble getting to the gym in the past because I couldn't get into a routine. I've found that if I can establish a time to exercise every day, then I'm more apt to stick to it. Since I'm a single mom now, I've moved my exercise to my lunch hour from work instead of thinking that I'll get up, go to the gym, and go back and get my son ready for school. I tried afternoons, but I always felt run down from work. I still use afternoons as a backup if I have a meeting around lunch. Anyway, consistency helps and if you aren't a morning person, maybe a different time would work better for you. Play around with the timing a bit and see what works. I really didn't think I would like going at lunch because I thought I'd have to shower and dry my hair again. I just don't wash my hair in the morning anymore and do it at the gym instead. It actually breaks my day up nicely and I feel a lot less run down at the end of my workday. Yeah! |
|||
| Weight Loss | new, in need of friends | Jan 08 2007 12:53 (UTC) |
6 |
| Hi Sky, I can't relate to your weight struggles but I applaud you for getting out and doing something about it. Once you start logging everything you eat it really makes a huge difference. I have a friend who is over 300 and he has a membership at the same gym as me. I've never seen him set foot in the place, but did see him drive by at lunch one day on his way back from the Chinese take-out place. Maybe you can give me some tips on how to help him get motivated. He loves to cook and uses his cooking to make friends. Unfortunately, everything he cooks is fatening (heavy cream, loads of butter, etc, etc). I understand it's hard for him to set foot in the gym with a bunch of mostly fit people.....I used to be self-conscious too and I was just slightly overweight. How did you overcome this to make it to the gym 4 times per week? On another note, I'm pretty much alone in my weight loss/get healthy efforts. My whole family are pretty much unhealthy eaters and when I try to give them tips, they tell me things like "it's a special dinner" or "don't think about calories tonight", or "forget about it, it's Thanksgiving"... My father is a diabetic and I try to remind him to take it easy on the portions, but when we eat out or eat at my sisters house (who's husband is another heavy cream, loads of butter, loads of cheese chef) he just eats until he's so full he can barely move. Is anyone else out there dealing with No Support from their family????? Good luck Sky and good job for getting in there and tackling probably the biggest obstacle in your life. I like my new life eating healthy and enjoying the gym. I feel like a new person and I'm sure you will too! :-) |
|||
| Weight Loss | healthy snacks with approx. 100 calories | Dec 08 2006 14:30 (UTC) |
2 |
| Hi all, I like the South Beach Diet Peanut Butter High Protein cereal bars. 140 calories with 10 grams of protein & only 15 g carbs. They hold me over between meals plus they are packed with vitamins and they taste just like a candy bar! Can't beat that! enjoy! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Protein | Dec 08 2006 14:16 (UTC) |
1 |
| Twiggy, Just a note on cooking fish. My son is 11 and he loves salmon. I go to Sam's and buy the individually sealed salmon filets. Take a couple out to thaw the night before. Heat the oven to 350. Put the filets in a glass baking dish with a little light italian dressing (we also cut up some fresh red, yellow, & orange sweet peppers and throw them in with a little dressing too) and bake for 18-20 minutes. That's it! Nice, quick, and very easy dinner. There are other marinades you can try too like A1's Mango Chipotle that work well for variety. You don't have to eat a lot of the marinade but it helps flavor the fish and keep it moist while cooking. (P.S. I don't even have to let the fish sit in the marinade or dressing before cooking, just put some over the fish and cook!). Hope this helps! |
|||
Join Calorie Count - it's easy and free!
Advertisement
Advertisement
Recent Activity
 |
krystalvermillion added neljo as a friend |
|
krystalvermillion added shelbs0922 as a friend |
|
krystalvermillion added tabaker13 as a friend |
|
krystalvermillion added deannalouise as a friend |