Posts by lurbanek

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Forum	Topic	Date	Replies
Weight Loss	Working out EVERYDAY?	Mar 30 2009 19:08 (UTC)	7
Until recently, I was working out 5 days a week, doing 63 minutes of cardio a day and weightlifting for 30 minutes on 4 of those days. It was a lot, but I was addicted. I cut it down to 4 days of ~60min cardio (and stuck with the 4 lifting days), and I actually lost weight (fat, not muscle, as far as I can tell). Sometimes we need to shake up our routines a little bit. Give it a try!
Weight Loss	Is my calorie counting obsessive?	Feb 10 2009 21:59 (UTC)	14
I weight and count every gram of everything, including gum, black coffee, etc. The only foods I don't add to my log on CC are things like Diet Coke which don't have calories but DO have sodium, etc. Perhaps I should be logging these.... Does everyone else? I'm sure I take in WAY more sodium than I think I do...
Weight Loss	Where do you lose fat from first?	Feb 03 2009 17:33 (UTC)	65
I guess I'm an "unlucky" one: I lose from my boobs first and my belly dead last. (While I may joke about my new flat chest, I happily accept it as a consequence of weight loss. It's like a badge of honor, almost...)
Fitness	Are two exercises for biceps enough?	Oct 15 2008 14:42 (UTC)	3
It sounds to me like you're doing great! Your exercise regimen is remarkably similar to my own. I lift 5 days a week, focusing on 1-2 muscles per day, 2-3 exercises for each muscle. For biceps, I do preacher curls and dumbell curls. However, I do my db curls while standing up atop a Bosu ball (which helps work the core at the same time). I disagree that you should stop doing the leg extensions. IMO, they can be great for your recovery if done right. Before I started lifting, I had dislocated my knee 2 times. I had been avoiding any knee-related exercises but my trainer advised against that. She has me doing leg extensions anyway -- just with lighter weights. In retrospect, this supports my doctor's advice that building up the muscles around the knee will help prevent further dislocations. Honestly, I can't help wondering if my lack of exercise for so many years was part of the cause of the dislocations. (I DO wear an ace bandage on "leg days.")
Weight Loss	What do you consider a "cheat" day?	Oct 10 2008 14:56 (UTC)	1
I consider it an "eat whatever I want day" and I don't count any calories I eat that day. On some of these days, I'd estimate I consume 2x what I eat on a regular day. I used to allow myself one cheat day a week where I would exceed my "allowance" by 500 cals, but now I pretty much only take one big cheat day when it's someone's birthday or a holiday -- about once a month. I started calling these days what they really are, though -- "binge days" -- to remind myself that they should remain rare occurrences. It's funny, though: lately I've become so accustomed to counting calories and watching what kinds of food I eat that, on my so-called "binge" days, I really don't eat (or crave) anything besides my usual foods. I just allow myself to eat more of those foods.
Weight Loss	I Named My Weight....Is this Wacked??	Aug 14 2008 04:23 (UTC)	46
This is awesome and clever (not whacked at all). Why shouldn't we inject some humor into the weight loss process. Jennelaw: I love the idea of calling yours Claire. You have to pronounce it "Cuh-LARE!?" like he does in the movie.
Foods	KASHI appreciation...!!!	Aug 04 2008 16:46 (UTC)	5
Hear, hear! I am completely in love with Kashi products! I start every day with a GoLean Crunch bar (caramel = 150 cals). They taste like dessert to me -- not chemically like so many other fiber/protein bars. Sure, there are other bars that I enjoy (Special K 90-calorie bars!), but Kashi GoLean Crunch bars seem to have the lowest calorie-count per gram. [I just wish they were a little cheaper. I buy them in bulk with Amazon Subscribe & Save and I still can't get the price per bar below $1...] I will definitely have to try those milkshakes! I have complete faith that Kashi wouldn't give me something that tastes like chemicals...
Fitness	Where and how do you work out?	Aug 04 2008 16:38 (UTC)	4
I work out at a gym almost exclusively. I'm simply not the kind of person who has the discipline (or the equipment) to do entire workouts in my home. I do 50 minutes of cardio on the elliptical 5-6 days a week and 30 minutes of lifting 3 days a week. I lift in the general/"men's" section -- the Women's Only section simply doesn't have very good equipment (which is unfortunate. Come on! Just because I'm a "chick" doesn't mean I'll only lift if you give me rubberized pink weights...). I will occasionally do some ab work or ball squats at home before I hit the gym, just to get it out of the way. (sorry, that was somewhat OT)
Weight Loss	After your chest has shrunk...	Jun 12 2008 03:23 (UTC)	7
Sadly, no. Consider yourself lucky! I've gotten a lot of comments from people wondering where they went. :( On the plus side, I did have some people tell me that I look taller now (which is fabulous because I'm barely 5'2")...
Weight Loss	But you're so skinny...	May 21 2008 19:53 (UTC)	39
Yes, and it's so frustrating! It's as if no one considers that maybe the reason you're "so skinny" is because you watch what you eat! It also sort of feels like they're trying to diminish all the effort you put into exercising and eating right (with comments like "I guess you have a really fast metabolism!") Does anyone have any good retorts?
Foods	Calories in Smirnoff Twisted drinks & Mike's Hard Berry Drinks???	Mar 05 2008 17:42 (UTC)	10
This is what I found when I searched: http://www.cspinet.org/alcopops/ ; I think it's lousy that they're not required to include nutritional labels. If you get a response about the other (non-calorie) nutrition facts, I'd be very interested to hear it.
Foods	if calories were non existant, what would you eat EVERYDAY?	Mar 05 2008 17:30 (UTC)	159
Honestly, I'd probably eat a lot of the same healthy foods I eat now -- just MORE of them! OK, I might add some cheesecake to the menu.
Foods	Yet another frightening recipie from, guess who? (PAULA DEEN!)	Mar 05 2008 17:26 (UTC)	4
You're right: this is terrible. I'd puke too if I wasn't so amused by the notion of someone sitting down and saying, "You know what this bacon-egg-burger needs? Glazed donuts!"
Weight Loss	Are any of you going to reward your self when you reach your goal weight. And in what way?	Feb 06 2008 14:45 (UTC)	4
When I reached my goal weight, I bought myself my first (and so far only) Balenciaga handbag. I'm normally quite frugal, but I've found that, as I lose weight, shopping for new clothes is more of a necessity than a reward -- having your pants fall down at work is embarrassing and a harassment suit waiting to happen :-)
Weight Loss	On the Verge of Tears!	Jan 08 2008 15:24 (UTC)	21
Hi lizzybelle. I was in your exact same situation. I am also 5'2" and weighed 142 when my doctor told me to lose "some" weight. I cut my calorie intake and dropped to 136 in a few months -- but then I got stuck there, probably because I wasn't exercising. This was last July. So here's what I did that might work for you: -- 5 days a week, I limit myself to 1400 calories a day. I allow myself to eat up to 1800 on the weekends. -- I go to the gym 4 days a week (never less than 4, no excuses, even during holiday weeks) where I lift weights for 15-20 minutes (alternating between upper and lower body, every other day). Then I do 47 minutes of cardio (20 on elliptical and 27 on a stationary bike). This brought me down to 118 lbs, where I have stayed for 3+ months. As long as I continue to work out, I am now able to increase my calorie intake to 1500-1600 a day without gaining weight. I should mention that I also pay attention to WHAT I'm eating. A Dunkin' Donuts glazed donut might be "only" 170 calories (or so I used to reason) but it can't compare to a 170 calorie GoLean energy bar (or 100 calorie cream of wheat packet + 70 calorie yogurt). Having lots of <100 calorie snacks on hand helps keep you under your calorie allocation for the day.
Foods	Counting calories for drinks?	Oct 24 2007 19:21 (UTC)	1
I make a point to track things like Diet Coke/Pepsi not because of the calories but because of the sodium. A few 30-50 mg. servings of sodium is noteworthy enough for me. For a long time, I didn't track my diet iced tea because it contained what I felt was a negligible 5 calories. Then I discovered that I was drinking enough of the stuff to equal the calories/carbs in a 6 oz container of my favorite yogurt. Now, unless it contains 0 of everything, I add it in.
Fitness	How does everyone stay on the elliptical so long??	Aug 31 2007 17:30 (UTC)	15
The elliptical is one of the most hated parts of my exercise routine -- and yet probably the most important. I do 45 minutes at moderate speed, 4-5 times a week. The ONLY things that make it bearable are magazines and TV. I spend about as much on magazines as I do on the gym membership itself. Other times, I will schedule my workout at a time when I know there's something good playing on the TVs at the gym (then I get kind of upset if someone changes the channel!). It sounds awful, but whatever it takes to keep my on those machines, I'll do.

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