Wagon Jumpers - December 28 - January 3rd, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available)
Welcome
(We are currently transitioning to 20 members (from 30). If you are interested in being on the waiting list, knowing that it will be a longer than usual list, please read below and e-mail me.)
Welcome to the Wagon Jumpers weekly thread. We are a group of CC members who have identified that one of our main challenges with achieving our weight loss, maintenance or general health goals is consistency.
This thread is designed to encourage long term commitment to our goals by publicly declaring them and asking the other members of this thread to hold us accountable. The primary focus of wagon jumpers is not how much weight you have lost, or need to loose, but what you need to do on a daily basis to meet your long term goals.
There are two rules for Wagon Jumpers:
1. All members must post once per week between Sunday and Friday.
2. All members must check the thread for members who have not posted by Saturday (a short list is posted on Thursday) or are on the MIA list on Sunday and send them a polite and positive message to stay involved in the group and on track with their goals.
If you would like to be a member of this thread please see the guidelines below and send me a PM if you are still interested (there may be a waiting list).
Medium Size Group = Some Time Commitment
The original idea of Wagon Jumpers was to create a close community where participants could get to know each other and hopefully form virtual-life and perhaps even physical-life bonds to create a support network as they attempted long term weight loss.
We quickly discovered that this was impossible with an 'always open' group as there were too many people coming and going. For this reason the group is capped at 30 participants.
A medium sized group means that we have an active thread that produces between 40 - 60 posts per week. Members do not need to read / respond to every post every week. I do notice that those who respond regularly do tend to keep their goals top of mind, and have a better chance to achieve them. I estimate the average time spent by an active member on Wagon Jumpers to be between 1-2 hours per week.
If you are looking for an always open group on CC there are several that operate by different weight criteria, similar motivational patterns etc... There are also many small groups that cap their numbers between 4-10 people to keep the group more intimate, and easier for members to keep up with.
Interested in Joining?
General Guidelines for Joining
1. Are you a wagon jumper?
Do you know how to loose weight, you often have success but then you find yourself loosing interest in your plan, or sabotaging your plan. It's not the "how" to loose weight that is the problem, it's the "how" to stay motivated.
2. Do you have a long way to go?
This group is designed so that members can get to know each other and support each other. Ideally you are planning to be a CC member and part of this forum for at least 6 months or more to achieve your goals and hopefully stay in motivation for a further 6 months or more.
Yes. This is, a long term plan.
3. Do you have the time?
This is a medium sized group, the thread does move fairly quickly each week. If you do not have regular internet access this is likely not the group for you.
Still interested?
Send Supersized a PM. (Please do not reply on the thread)
An overview will be sent to you, you will have a chance to ask questions and an invitation will be sent to you once a spot is open.
Wagon Jumpers Participants
Week 34 Riders:
Supersized (myself)
Week 31 Riders:
Week 30 Riders:
Week 27 Riders:
Week 25 Riders:
Week 24 Riders - Congratulations on 6 Months!:
Raven21 - Vacation December 24 - January 3rd, 2009
Week 23 Riders:
Week 20 Riders - Congratulations on 5 Months!:
Week 19 Riders:
Kyashiis - traveling to January 10th, 2009
Week 18 Riders:
Week 17 Riders:
Week 16 Riders - Congratulations on 4 Months!:
Week 15 Riders:
Week 14 Riders:
Week 13 Riders:
Week 10 Riders:
Week 9 Riders:
Week 8 Riders:
Week 7 Riders:
Week 6 Riders:
Week 5 Riders:
Carryonandon - Vacation Dec 15 - Jan 8
Week 4 Riders - Congratulations on 1 Month!:
Week 2 Riders:
Missing In Action:
Missing In Action - 1 Week:
Missing In Action - 2 Weeks:
Current Membership: 28
Current Waiting List: 0
Outstanding Wait List Invites: 0
12 Week CONSISTENCY GOALS
(as set w/o October 19th, 2008)
By January 11th, I will be...
At least 8 weeks successful on my 12-week consistency plan. That is 8 weeks at an average of 1500 cal/day (weekly avg) and gym 4x/week 2 hrs/session.
Working out 5x week. I will be eating 1500-2000 calories a day dependng on exercise.
Sticking with the NROL nutrition (40%-30%-30%) and working out 3x/week. This should have me almost complete with stage 4 of the program.
Consistently drinking 4 500 ml bottles of water per day and working out 3 times a week, this can include running, weights, etc...
Maintaining walking 10,000 - 12,000 steps a day and adding both Wii Fit exercise 2-3 times per week, while achieving a calorie deficit of 500 cal/day.
Exercising 5 days/week (cardio + strength) and eating 1500 calories on exercise days and 1200 on rest days.
Be eating 1450 cal/day, except on non-exercise days (1300) and exercising 6 days/week on a stationary bike, increasing the distance each week by 1/2 mile with a goal to reach 10 miles/session by the end of 12 weeks.
Journaling my food on CC everyday, and getting 30 min of exercise 2-3 times per week.
Adding interval training - Fartleks - to my running to reach a goal of running a 5K at 6 min/km. While maintaining a 600 cal/day deficit.
Eating 5-6 fruits and vegetables a day, and working out 5 days a week.
Eat an average of 1700 cal/day and exercise 4x per week, according to my plan
Eating at 1600 cal/day and walking for 1 hour 3 days/week.
Exercising two times a week for 60 minutes at the gym or at home, and logging all of my food.
Maintaining a complete food log on the CC website daily to remain on track. Exercising 2x a week for minimum of 45 minutes.
Going to the gym 4 times per week (maintenance). Drinking ATLEAST 2 litres of water per day.
Exercising at least 30 min every day. Logging my calories on CC every day.
Previous Threads:
Wagon Jumpers - December 21 - 27th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - December 14 - 20th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - December 7 - 13th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 30 - December 6th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 23 - 29th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 15 - 22nd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 9 - 15th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 2 - 8th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 26 - November 1st, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 19 - 25th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 12 - 18th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 5 - 11th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - September 28 - October 4th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - September 21 - 27th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 14-20th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 7-13th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 31 - September 6th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 24 - 30th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 17 - 23rd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 10 - 16th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 2 - 9th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 27 - August 2nd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 20 - 26th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 6 - July 21st, 2008 (another, two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 22 - July 5th, 2008 (two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 15-21, 2008
As always all members are encouraged to tag this thread so that it is easy to find.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC
Now that Christmas / Chaunakka / Kwanza / Diwhali / Presents day etc... are over we should all have lots of time for our health and fitness goals (I'm funny, I know!)... so we're going to return to the popular fitness topic. Almost all of us said we want to know more about fitness. Last time we explored what we are doing, now lets look at what we think about fitness...
Go to your bookshelf, the library, the blogosphere, google.... find a fitness tip that you believe. Why do you believe this tip? Have you put it into practice? To what results?
Weekly Check-In
I'm going with not too shabby for this week. Of course I let myself have some extras for family dinners this week. And, I thought I had really over done it at my family dinner where I felt like my jeans were trying to strangle me, but I slipped them on yesterday to go see my cousin and they fit fine, no problems, so I haven't gained back a full dress size. I'm quite happy I'm not yet measuring on the scale though.
Weekly Topic
For those of you who have been in the group for a while, you'll know that I follow a blog called HealthHabits, and that I really like the series on HIIT: Why Can't I loose this fat my fitness tips are from this blog.
1. The least effective fitness regiments burn calories only, the most effective will increase you BMR over the long term (BMR = basal metabolic rate).
2. The amount of calories that you burn outside of your BMR (i.e exercise or theThermic Effect of Food) is insignificant when compared to your BMR.
3. So, how do we increase BMR?... Increase muscle mass!
4. Activities that burn calories, but do nothing to increase your metabolism are next to useless in your fat burning battle.
Best Methods to increase BMR (build muscle)
1. High intensity resistance workouts are the superstars of this entire program. When performed properly, they elevate your BMR, drastically increase your EPOC and burn a fair amount of calories per workout.
2. High Intensity Anaerobic Interval Training will increase your EPOC drastically and burn a whole bunch of calories. It is not as effective as High Intensity Resistance Training at increasing muscle mass and BMR.
3. High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training will also increase your EPOC and burn a whole bunch of calories.
So, have I put any of this into place?
No.
I'm still the cardio queen. The person he warns about in this very article. I will say that cardio did manage to allow me to drop a good deal of weight quite fast (well when I say fast I mean like 4 months!). However, it's clear that it's not going to get me through at this point. So why am I still doing it?
Simple, it's habit, and I can get myself to the gym with the promise of an easy work out. My challenge after I finish this 12 weeks, will be using the next 12-weeks to measure how effective (or not) my current workout is, and using the information from that to transition into using these techniques with likely some advice from NROLFW and creating a new workout for spring 2009.
Sara.
Weekly Check In
This week hasn't been ALL bad. Yes, I ate foods I normally wouldn't. Yes, I got too busy to journal for a couple of days. But...instead of eating a portion of desserts at holiday functions..I had a taste. That was tough...I wanted it ALL! lol I am torn between exercise plans for now...my head says cardio but my nutritionist says weight training. Her exact words "build muscle, build muscle, build muscle!" Guess I am going to have to come up with a combo platter. I was wondering about WII Fit....does anyone in the group use it? Is it worth it for me to purchase this little piece of home workout electronics? Any information would be helpful!
Weekly Topic
I have just finished the book, Body for Life by Bill Phillips. In the book is a chapter covering MYTH and FACT
Myth: You have to eat "perfectly" all the time.
Fact: There's no such thing as eating "perfectly".
Don't be too hard on yourself if you end up eating too much or not often enough one day. If you do, just put it behind you and get back on schedule. Don't beat yourself up, and don't EVER give up on yourself. It's so disappointing for me to see people who are making excellent progress, who are well on their way to a successful transformation, then they eat something they shouldn't, or they miss a workout, and they just quit. PLEASE don't do this. Keep in mind that I have yet to meet a real life transformation champion, including all those you'll read about in this book, who didn't mess up from time to time. They succeed because they persevered, NOT because they were perfect. So if you stumble once in awhile, just put it behind you and resolve to do better from that point forward. The mere fact that you have decided to improve yourself is something to be proud of. Focus on that. And, when those cravings hit, and they will, remember that nothing tastes as good as being in the greatest shape of your life feels. Also remember that it is just food. YOU control it. It doesn't control you. Accept the fact that NO ONE is perfect, yet we all have the potential to improve, we all have the power to change. With that in mind, let's now move forward and upward.
I agree with this man that it is mind over matter. I am trying desperately to quit beating myself up over every little thing and to be consistant and to stay on that ever moving WAGON. I can always do better and I will strive for that.
***********
EPOC = Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption... LOL! Had to look that one up Sara!
***********
THIS WEEK CHECK-IN
Well, I just ate what I wanted from Monday to Thursday, barely no exercise but I did a lot a lot better than last year. Today the scale says that I gained two pounds, hopefully it's just water from all the sodium I ingested. I did notice that I got cranky and had more migraines with just a couple of days of eating like I used to . I had noticed that before but it was more evident this time. I couldn't wait to get back on track, honestly.
I'm eating better, drinking more water and hopefully those two pounds will go soon.
By the way, I've been in this thread for 5 months! :D And though I haven't fell off the wagon for long periods like before (which caused yo-yo weight changes) , I still fall off every now and then. My weight has been stable but I want to keep losing and not just maintaining and I hope to do so.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC
My dad's birthday was this week and he wanted to celebrate by going to a buffet today... a buffet! So yesterday instead of just panicking about it I googled and googled and found this: http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/healthy-livi ng/tips-to-survive-from-the-buffet/
It is really helpful. I did manage to control myself and I had a great time... and I still have plenty of calories for the rest of the day. The best tip in the article for me is the two-thirds rule. In this rule, you have to fill two-thirds of your plate with low calorie foods like fresh vegetables and melon cubes.
Wenchie I actually have that book and the Body For Life For Women co-authored by Pamela Peeke. It has been pretty helpful. Although I did fail to stay on the wagon on the Body For Life program I did take away some key lessons, and one was the no one is perfect, the other was this idea of 12-week challenges, setting small, consistency based goals and measuring effort as opposed to results during the challenge (effort at the end).
I agree completely with avoiding the all or nothing mentality (as I refer to it)... now, can you tie that into a fitness tip?
Julie Sorry lots o acronyms in this food and fitness blog I find.
Ana I also feel that I'm in a maintenance cycle at the moment. And logically I know I should stand up and cheer because it means for the first time in a year I have not dieted lost weight and then gained it back plus some. However I'm tired of feeling like I am maintaining so I really need to work on putting in the effort that is necessary to loose now.
Great tips on managing healthy food choices in unhealthy environments. I used the same rule when I went out with my partners friends for a holiday dinner and they also choose a buffet.
Now, can you find a good fitness tip as well?
Cheers,
Sara.
Ughh... I've become "THAT PERSON" that I don't want to be. I've been late posting for almost a MONTH now....
I owe you guys an apology and beg forgiveness. I really want to be in the group but also know that part of the reason I haven't been posting is THE reason I need to be posting - accountability.
Again, I haven't gone off the reservation but I'm standing at the border, thinking about it. Psychologically January 1 holds some sort of "start over" mentality - (doesn't it for most people?) so I'm tying myself to a tree and waiting for that date. LOL. So I guess I have jumped off the wagon though to be at this point.
I have still been watching what I eat but not exercising so I continue to stay exactly the same shape.
HOWEVER, January 1 is a reset date. Posting here, exercise, water... all the things I've come to ENJOY and truly miss but also easily push aside.
~Susan
I'm baaaack... LOL!
Fitness Tips: (aka: Exercise Tips... depends how you define "fitness"):
Likely being one of the newest dedicants to NROLFW, I am loaded with my own latest discoveries. I will try to keep it brief, however you know that is really tough for me! Inasmuch, I highly reccomend the book, there is just SO MUCH info!
In my readings of NROLFW I have had a few... let's say "revelations"... "enlightenments", if you will. My paradigm has been shifted, my brain has been reprogrammed, my way of thinking adjusted. And ALLLL just when I thought I "had it down to a T", a wrench gets thrown into the cog. Let's just call these following thoughts "Myth Busters for Wagon Jumpers".
"If I lift weights, I'll get too bulky.": MYTH
"Unless you're an extreme genetic outlier, you can't get too bulky. Your body won't allow it.... the object of lifting is to build muscle, and ... muscle is hard to build," a woman must challenge herself in the weightroom. "Women, naturally deprived of testosterone that would make muscle building a more straightforward pursuit, worry endlessly about adding so much muscle that they'll turn into the type of shemale you rarely encounter outside "The Howard Stern Show".... THe most likely outcome, assuming you're willing to work hard, is that you come away with a small net loss in body weight, but a dramatic difference in the way your body looks in the morror, and the way your clothes fit... what you don't have to worry about, is getting too big."
Besides all that, what are the chances that me... a Wagon Jumper by nature will EVER even come close to the risk of being TOO BULKY?
TONING, SCULPTING, SHAPING: MYTH
"The way "toning" is used in books and magazines catering to women, and then repeated by women themselves, it means "make your muscles look better without making them bigger"... that's not realistic... If the weights are unchallenging, your muscles will not grow. If they do not grow, they will not look any better than they do now... Muscles cannot be "shaped", their shape is determined by your genetics. You can make them bigger, or smaller, but you cannot change the shape. "Sculpting" is the combination of muscle growth and fat loss that leaves a lifter's physique looking... well, sculpted." The misnomer is when all of this is misconstrued for the simple word "training".
NOTE: Also, "you can't choose whether a muscle becomes "bulky" or "long and lean" like a dancer's; any more than you can choose your own height."
Yup, I'm shaped alright.... ROUND. LMAO!
FORM: MYTH
"You will rarely see a woman lifting with bad form in a gym... she performs her exercises like clockwork, even if it means she has to use unchallenging weights to make such precision possible... Women are taught that there is only one way to perform each exercise, and that small adjustments will put her in the ER. ... (Not to "beat up" on any other author or book here... but I am quoting Schuler here... ) "For example in "Body for Life for Women" the author offers this instruction for a simple shoulder press: "Press the weights up until your arms are almost straight (with your elbows just short of locked)." "Since the author is Pamela Peeke, M.D., and not some garden-variety personal trainer or celebrity who decided to expand her investment portfolio by writing a workout book, you'd assume the anti-elbow-straightening precaution has a basis in science. That is, straightening your arms at the elbow joints must be bad for you. IT IS NOT. In all my years of writing about strengh training, and in all my months of studying for my credentials as a trainer, I've never come across any suggestion of injury risk from this simple movement. More to the point, ELBOWS ARE SUPPOSED TO LOCK. It's called straightening your arms. The triceps are designed to straighten your elbows until they reach that locked position. If you don't lock, you don't work your triceps through their full range of motion, which means you don't get the full benefits of the elbow-straightening exercise you are performing."
Schuler goes on to reduce this concept into two basic sentences. "If it's what your body was designed to do, it's probably not bad form. And if the exercise requires you to do something unnatural, you should think twice before doing it."
I can attest to this personally, when I was using the Nautilus machines, then switched to free weights, I found that my body had been conditioned to doing certain motions a certain way, and when I had the added stresses of balancing the weight along with moving it around, my "whole muscle grouping" was engaged, and the fact that the machine was not there to guide me caused me to have to lift lighter weights until I could gain strength in the balancing muscles as well. SO, just because the machine kept me in perfect form, does not mean I should not go on and try things from a little "different angle", as it is obvious I could never ever duplicate the exact motion of a machine with a free weight anyway. As far as "locking" the joints, I vote for his idea. I want the whole muscle group fully engaged, not just part way.
"CORE" TRAINING AND SMALL MUSCLE ISOLATION: MYTH
"You've heard the term "core training" many times by now. I think it went from "cool to cutting-edge idea" to cliche in record time. You probalby know that it's a more sophisticated approach to working your middle body than say.. "ab workouts" or "crunches"... The "core" includes all the abdominal muscles, along with the muscles in your lower back, hips, pelvis, and upper thighs. Core training, as practiced pulls in elements from many different disciplines: yoga, pilates, physical therapy, strentgh and conditioning, Rehabilitiation... only one thing is missing... WHOLE BODY BUILDING!" "Since your body is designed to use its big and small musles together, in coordinated movement, doesn't it stand to reason that your body would want to develop those muscles in some systematic, proportional, and systematic pattern?... all the muscles designed to accomplish {IE: a chest press} will develop at the same time. There is no need to curl a "3 Lb Barbie Weight", to isolate a single muscle. Your body knows it needs to increase strength and size in all the muscles required to keep them working together synchronously. Why wouldn't it? There's no advantage to developing individual muscles selectively, since strengthening one muscle in isolation creates a proportional weakness in another. Remember what we are talking about here is TRAINING, specifically, strength training. Every exercise you do {in NROLFW} is designed to increase strength, and increasing strength is the key to all the results you want want when you lift weights."
And here I was worried about getting bored with all those curls I was gonna have to do. OH MY. Tee hee!
Schuler goes into some detail about Cardio and other types of endurance training, and while he doesn't necessarily see that as the panacea of exercise, he is not entirely opposed to it as a supplement. Especially when done as interval training. BUT that it should not be the first thing one does when beginning a fitness regimen. He believes, as I do, that increasing your BMR by building muscle is the essential key to overall health.
He also goes into great detail about Aerobic and Anaerobic types of energy burning... as well as giving formulas to find your BMR and BMI. He discusses Macronutrient ratios, and essential vitamins and proteins. This is one very smart man! Too much for me to go into detail on all of it here, but if you wanted a book review, there you have it... LOL!
Hope you all have a Happy New Year, and I am off to the gym!
Happy Healthgain to all,
~Julie
Checking In: I did ok over Christmas holidays, but just barely. I did work on eating healthier stuff.
Weekly Topic: I've always believed that when doing aerobic exercise, you've got to do at least 20 minutes before you even begin to start burning your "stored" body fat. I looked it up on the net and although I didn't find any exact info I did find this some interesting info on burning up body fat and I will be putting it into practice :)
Tips for controlling body fat
- Give yourself a chance: increase your metabolic rate. Irrespective of dietary modification, an exercise-focussed lifestyle will increase your metabolic rate, and will inherently burn more calories than a sedentary lifestyle. In contrast, it is believed that markedly reducing the amount of calories that you eat will signal a state of potential starvation to your body. In this context, your body adjusts by slowing down your metabolism and trying to conserve fat.
- Tone your muscles to burn more calories. Using strength training exercise to increase your percentage of muscle tissue compared to fatty tissue shifts your body composition in favour of energy-hungry muscle cells. Muscle cells consume many times more calories than do fat cells, at rest. A kilogram of muscle will burn 50 to 100 calories a day compared to 5 to 7 calories a day for a kilogram of fat. One of the best ways to increase your percentage of muscle tissue, and hence your metabolic rate, is to do a strength training routine 2 or 3 times every week — a hand-weights circuit is ideal — in addition to your regular aerobic exercise.
- To reduce total body fat (‘lose weight’), burn more energy than you consume as food, but don’t focus exclusively on calorie restriction. To reduce total body fat, focus on increasing your physical activity rather than drastically decreasing the energy you consume as food. As fatty foods are energy dense, selecting low-fat options is a sensible way to limit unnecessary calories in your food. Don’t cut out fat altogether: current advice recommends that you moderate total fat intake but limit saturated fats — the type of fats present in foods of animal origin such as meat and butter. As a guide, a recommended rate of weight reduction is around 0.5 to 1 kilo per month. Losing more than 0.5 to 1 kilo a week can indicate that you are losing muscle rather than body fat. If you are overweight or obese and are considering a restricted-calorie diet, speak to a dietitian for individual advice.
- To avoid re-gaining lost body fat, continue exercising regularly and keep a check on your daily energy balance. Continuing regular exercise is important in maintaining a high metabolic rate. In fact, studies have shown that athletes who suddenly stop training lose 50 per cent of their maximum exercise capacity within 10 days, and significant reductions in metabolism can also be measured at this time. So, regular exercise to control body fat is best seen as a lifelong commitment. In addition, always keep the amount of calories you eat balanced by the amount of exercise that you do. This approach will give you the best chance of maintaining the new body you have gained through an active lifestyle that includes strength training and aerobic exercise, and calorie-wise healthy eating.
Hi all,
I'm back from my Christmas holiday in Ontario and am still waiting for my luggage to arrive from Vancouver (it's been two days now and no luggage!!...lots of backlog due to these snowstorms). Anyhow, I trust you all enjoyed your festivities as I did with my family.
I had "planned" on only gaining ONE pound, but due to terrible, cold, snowy conditions and goodies galore.......I came home 6lbs. heavier. But!! I'm down 2 lbs. already and the rest will be off by Friday....water loss anyhow.
Because of the bad weather I was only able to get one walk in and I did one weight training program indoors. To keep me from going crazy from cabin fever, I knew that I had to burn off some energy in which case I went out and shovelled the driveway for one hour. Therefore, I combined aerobic and anerobic exercise all in one. I made sure I used my legs to do proper squats while digging for and lifting up that shovel of snow and have to say it was a great workout. So my tip for exercise..........find "other means' of working out if you have no other way. Parking the car far from the store and walking/ carrying two or 4 bags of groceries in at a time, concentrate on posture, strength and energy level is all I can offer at this time since I haven't been home to do my 3x daily walks or my squash games. My clothes still fit fine but this extra bulk is soon to be gone!!. I have to admit, that I got sick of eating sweets and big meals and felt so uncomfortable. I guess I can only blame it on being HUMAN.
Trust you are all on the road to achieving your goals and increasing the exercise level a notch or two.
Good luck to all and congrats to all those who are still doing well in CC.
Cheers,
Maureen
Hi,
I am ready for a new year to start. It does allow one to recommit themselves to the healthier living credo. Since Christmas ended I have had alot less stress which for me equates to less food and less cravings. Thank God!
I have been running more and really working on making that treadmill bearable. I finally now do intervals - 1 min high / 1 min low and I do 2 X 30 minute session rather than one killer 60 minute.
HOMEWORK:
I remember reading once that made alot of sense to me and I believe it is in multiple forms (like TNation, etc)
Keep your body always guessing what you are going to do to it. While I am a long distance runner and I do NROLFW (I know an oxymoron by the strictest sense). I also try to integrate in yoga / pilates so that my body does not become complacent. I also have begun to do things with my left hand vs. right as I heard that this also forces your body to move differently.
I will forward the articles when I find them. I know that it is discussed in NROLFW.
Thanks.
C'ya.
Hi, all!
I too am ready for the new year to start. I'm struggling a bit these past few days, as this pregnancy has made me into an EATING MACHINE. I am sooo hungry, all the time--I mean, I was awake at 4:30am today, wanting to have breakfast (2 hardboiled eggs whites, toast, butter, water). I've tried to keep the extra calories to a minimum by eating healthy foods (almonds, radishes, canteloupe, pineapple, FiberOne bars, oatmeal), but its like I never stop wanting to eat (as in, stomach gurgling hungry!) and I never stop going to pee (I'm also drinking an average of 3 liters water/day). I'm only 6 weeks along! Will this stop?? At least I haven't been craving pickles and ice cream, yet... :D
I'm also physically exhausted. I've been sleeping more than I have in my life, except when I had mono in 11th grade. At least this is a good exhausted feeling--I'm not feeling sick, just as if I've not had enough sleep. I haven't been working out--my heart starts to race when I walk upstairs, let alone getting on the bike!
My body is changing, too. I've gained 2 pounds, probably a half of that in my chest. My waist, which I was so proud of regaining this summer, is also starting to thicken a bit. *sigh* I have to keep reminding myself that 0-5 pounds is normal weight gain for the first trimester (zero gain for those with morning sickness, which I'm fortunately not a victim of, yet!), and heck, I'm doing this during the holidays, so 2 pounds isn't too terrible!
Weekly Exercise:
I think that my understanding of "health" has been, in large part, influenced by my participation in a weekly yoga class at my former gym. While I don't have a strong yoga practice anymore, I do use many of the techniques that I learned there in everyday life. I think yoga helped me to let go of many of the emotional issues that I had to deal with as a younger woman, and to become a better person, both mentally and physically. Below is an excerpt of an article that I found on the internet; I find that it holds a lot of truth, for me:
Yoga actually helps restore one’s being to where it is meant to be… in
balance. Practicing Asanas and pranayamas will help clean the internal
organs by removing the toxins in the body. In fact, when a person does
Asanas, Pranayama,
Bandhas (yoga locks that hold in prana, the life force), and Mudras
(gestures or hand positions), not only does his or her blood
circulation improve, but his or her lung capacity improves to help
eliminate disease and unease in the mind and body.
Maybe this is why in ancient times, people believed that yogis could
“live forever”. Stretching the mind and body does help the cells to
grow and thrive. Also, proper alignment of postures helps keep the
muscles in the correct position for each Asana. Consequently, the
muscles do not get worn out and are therefore taught to stay fit
throughout life. Perhaps this is why so many yogis do appear several
years younger than they are. Maybe we’re on to something here. Is it
possible that practicing Yoga is the new alternative to plastic
surgery? Actually, plastic surgery and Yoga practice should not be
compared. Yoga is more than a surface transformation, it is also an
inner makeover. Yoga is a revolution of the mind, body, and spirit.
Yoga is also related to mental health. It is proven that a person who
practices Yoga will go through incredible transformations that have a
profound positive effect on his or her mental health. Some people who
practice Yoga will experience a decline in anxiety, tension, and
worries. Practicing Meditation,
Asanas, and breathing exercises on a regular basis will help increase
flexibility and ease the mind. Yoga helps free the mind from mental
turbulence and racing thoughts that can make us feel a little crazy at
times.
The bold above is mine. This statement is so true, in my experience. I have met many yogis/yoginis who are older (let's say 55-75), but their vitality, their skin, their eyes, just seem younger than their chronological age. I find it fascinating, really!
Good Morning All:
I have been reading over the posts this morning, and even read my own, when I realized I didn't really culminate it into an actual point that can be applied. SO, allow me:
In my own words, Weight Lifting can be an intimidating idea to women. Especially if you've never tried it, and even moreso if you've never tried it in public (at a gym). The point to my whole argument in busting the myths was simply to just do it. TRY IT. I believe we, and not just women, have been conditioned by society to think certain things and ways about our health, appearance, and invincibility. The media has done a superb job teaching us that popping a pill, hopping on a Bow-Flex, or drinking a cup of herbal Chinese tea can give us instant results. (or if not instant, at least MUCH faster than any other method available... ever heard that? LOL!)
So, even though we are made to THINK (invincibility) these things will work for us, it would do us all well to realize the superior salesmanship abilities of the advertisers. The idea for relaying all the "Myths" was to attempt to dispel all those media-implanted mini-programs we have running in the background of our brains. Get into the Control Panel and delete those things! Lifting is NOT intimidating, it is not hard, nor is it embarassing. It is FREEING. Trust me on that.
My best Exercise Tip, from my personal experience of actually doing it, and the second half of it from learning it here with Wagon Jumpers, is... Raise your BMR by Lifting. BUT take your time, work up to your expectations by setting mini-goals. Forget about the quick fixes, and face-off the fear of lifting weights. It's worth it.
Figurethefat - I totally agree that food should not be cut to unacheivable amounts, it truly is the increase of the BMR that will do it for us. The most essential nutrient for raising the BMR is protien. And to get the amount a body truly needs, calories cannot be cut below a certain level, otherwise your metabolism is literally living off your own muscle tissue.
Maureen - I LOVE shovelling snow! I wish I had some to do that with. :(
Carol - I have read up some on the idea of "muscle confusion" - I believe Schuler also does this in NROLFW - do you agree? And... Have you ever heard of P90X? I've done some research on that, and it seems pretty intense (boot camp style...LOL!) but haven't tried it.
Defrog - I don't know if I managed to Congratulate you previously, so CONGRATS on the pregnancy! And.... (having had 4 babies) the last thing you need to worry about right now is your weight! Let that baby have a snack... LOL! Rest, eat, and rest some more... there will be time for you to think about your waistline... in a few months... hehehe....
Oh and... get used to peeing a lot. LOL! In about 3 to 4 months, the baby will be kicking your bladder, then eventually, actually laying on it constantly. Also, you may want to try to adjust yourself now (if you haven't already) to 5 or 6 small meals per day. About the same time your bladder begins to be kicked, you will notice you have less space in your stomach for food. Smaller more frequent meals will help. Keep drinking the water though!
One bit of advice I have given to my sisters and daughter that they very much appreciated (you'll need this soon) is when you are laying down, lay on your left side to avoid stomach discomfort. The esophagus is angled toward the right side of your body, and when you lay on the right side, the gases cannot escape. So you'll feel better when the pressure is relieved by lying on your left side.... take care! And I must also add... I really do enjoy my yoga classes, they are exactly what you say they are!
Happy Healthgain to all,
~Julie
not a check in as this isn't my computer, but I just wanted to wish all the Wagon Jumpers a
Happy New Year and Good luck with all your goals and health choices in 2009!!!
Hi all,
Well, this week I'll be brief. I'm in the final throes (and I mean throes) of my thesis, so I'm unable to mentally commit to anything this week. The good news it'll all be over on Monday, which is when it's due/life begins again/I can exhale/my new year actually starts/I'm free. Wish me luck. Umm.. on the check-in, I'm trying to be extra careful about intake, which is harder because of the stress/24hr schedule of working, but probably a good thing given what my eating might be like if I weren't doing it. I managed to get on the treadmill on Monday, but I'm not sure I'll pull it off again before the weekend.
Fitness tip:
"Fitness is a journey, not a destination" -- that was in the gym at my college, and I've always thought it was awesome. Trying to get into the 'journey' mentality is why I'm here! Interesting web article of the week: http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/lose-weight-f ast-how-to-do-it-safely
Next week I'll reflect a little more about the journey thing, and also my first month (!) in the group. Hope you all have a good New Year's!
Happy New Year to all..
Just checking in...I totally blew my journey last night...consciencely and willingly still working on the whys? but I am commited to starting again. I am worth the effort even though I do stupid things to sabotage myself.
Still exercising and logging...
Have a good start of 2009 to everyone.
Robin
Happy New Year everyone!
I love this time of year, it's time to start over, forget the past. I have been logging everyday, but the exercise is not going well. Only exercised once, but it's better than nothing.
Exercise tip: I'm a beginner, so here goes. What matters when you start exercising is not what you do, but that you do it. Consistency is key, then you can build on this base. This is what I'm working on, so it does not matter at this stage that my form is perfect or that I'm doing the right exercises. Just move!
Thanks to all for your great advise, especialy supersized and nannygabber. I will be looking into it and educating myself.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone!
Quick check-in, as in our house, we have not finished with the holiday visiting. On that note, I am so looking forward to getting back into routine, as this week has been very challenging both on the food logging and exercise.
Time permitting, I will return to understand and comment on this week's topic.
Have a great day.
Happy New Years,
I don't know if this is a health tip or even if this counts but I believe that healthy habits are part of lifestyle change and not a diet. Yes, I do live by this. I'm constantly trying to fit new healthy habits into my lifestyle. Sometimes it works and at other times it doesn't. I have had good results with it.
This weeks has been good. I'm ready to get back into the swing of things.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Just checking in! Got on the scales this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks - ouch what a shock! So I've joined the January weight loss challenge. I feel I need the accountability of a weekly weigh-in at the moment.
Defrog - Congratulations! Be sure to take extra good care of yourself!
Wenchie - I have Wii-Fit - it is great fun! I find it particularly helpful when the weather is bad and I cannot get outside for my daily walks. I particularly like the jogging - it is so complimentary to me about my running technique, which no one else has ever been! (It can't see me of course!) The step exercises are good too. I haven't tried the more advanced stuff.
Fitness Tip - find a fitness routine that you enjoy - then maybe you will do it! I have just discovered T-Tapp Fit and Fabulous in 15 minutes, I will let you know how it goes...
Have a great week everyone!
