But, is there time?

I was just reading Willa's post with her goals and saw the part about the exercise cutting into her Geo Challenge and/or curriculum time...

Great point. So, how do you all fit in the exercise? The sneaky and the planned? Would love to hear.

This reminded me of a conversation I had with Stephen (18) and Bryan (15) today. It was annoucned that Stephen was going to try and survive on a hour less of sleep. He is a night owl but we determined he really only sleeps about 9 hours a night, even though sometimes he sleeps REAALLL late.

We were talking about how to find more time in the day. I told him I gave up blogs for a while... Had to when things got hectic. He could not think of anything he does that 'wastes' time.

Well, I happen to see how he eats. Slow. The boys both usually read or listen to CDs or audio books while eating. It can take Stephen 45 minutes to eat a sandwich.

So, I suggested, in a nice motherly tone, that maybe he spend less time eating.

He replied, "But that is my READING time!"

Touche'

So, this related to Willa becuase I took a long-overdue peek at more of her blog. (I miss reading it Willa). And I remembered, what a terrific writer she is. And thought, no, I don't want exercise to take away from her writing time. I can just see her in the mountains of the Sierras writing and thinking and sipping coffee (or water... lol)

Willa.. ok.. how about when you hike, can you take your lap top? Or dictate to a machine? Maybe this is about multi tasking!

Sorry, I am a bit nuts-- long dog sitting day. And the day started with this KILLER workout at the Y with two gym buddies, who, by the way, I hope will join our blog. I told them (Lisa and Lynette) about the January Challenge and they were psyched!

So... repeat question:
How to you fit in your exercise in your already busy and important life??

January Challenge- Cindy's plan

Ok.. here is my revised plan:

• Drink water. See how much I drink with my workout and make sure I get enough the rest of the day to make 64 oz.
• Sneaky exercise: Be more active. Walk the dogs, park far from the store, on days I feel fat and lazy (or on my cycle) move MORE, not less.
• Use my 1400 cal/day diet as a backdrop or default. Vary it, have a treat now and then, but have that as healthy options so I don't eat junk. Keep healthy food in the house and in sight. (and hide the chips!)
• Don't eat junk. When I am tired or stressed, have presense of mind.
• When I get down, use my affirmations and turn to prayer and thanksgiving- laugh daily.
• Push my workouts. Try new things. Cardio, weights and pilates. See how strong I can get!

January Challenge--Rachel May's PLAN

Thanks, Cindy for the kick that I needed to get going again!

This is my goal for January. PLAN to exercise and then execute the plan.

So, on Saturday when Bill and I plan our menu for the week, I will also plan 3 30-min exercise sessions, on the stationary bike, at the pool or outside for a ....ahem....jog.

I was going to use the Runner's World Race Finder to plan to run a 5K, but I think I'll save that for February's challenge.

I will also PLAN to get all my water in each day. My plan is to drink at least 24oz by lunchtime, and 2 more 24 oz cups by bedtime. When I do that, my little nursling is a very happy camper.

It doesn't sound like an ambitious plan, but it feels like one at the moment.

January Challenge!

Ok, ya'll.. let's go for January!

So far I hear the following girls are in:

Leonie
Willa
Niamh
Rachel May (when her stomach calms down!) :0 -- HOPE you feel better soon!!
Julie (when she gets back Jan 10)

Did I miss anyone? Anyone else want to join in?

Ok, let's start fresh for the new year!

Here are the rules:
Create a new post with your goals. They can be whatever you want them to be.... small, huge, in between. They always say to make specific goals, but if something like 'being mindful' works for you, the do it. Honestly I think this is all about habits. So if you just want to pick one habit and work on it, that is great, too.

I would love to have everyone make a seperate post with their own goals so it is easy to go back and find. That way we can READ it and HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE... lol, of course in a nice way. But what is better than your girlfriends cheering you on and helping you when you fall?

Should we make this for the month of January, then hope it sticks? So think of goals that you think you can do for a month.

My 42 day challenge is going great IF I add belgium chocolate and sugar cookies to my 'diet'. I am going to try and stick with that healthy eating but give myself allowances.. need to think of how much I want to hold myself to for the month.

Ok... hope you all will post! It can be about exercise, eating, affirmations, positive thinking, taking vitamins, drinking water, just being more active....
anything you want to work on and would like us to help you with. Even if helping just means knowing that we will look in and cheer you on!

Leonie posted here (feel free to edit, Leonie if you want) and I will post mine again I am scraping my 42 day challenge (I'm FREE!) and will start up with you all on Jan 1.

Looking forward to it..starting off the new year on a healthy note. :)

Joining that challenge...

Hey, Cindy, can I join your challenge?

But mine will be a January challenge.

The challenge?

1. To continue with my daily workouts. But with a mostly one hour mostly Taebo focus. I just want to feel and look fitter and Taebo always does that for me.

2. Work on what I am eating. Need to eat healthy. Stop this junk! Diets just plain don't work for me. But working on eating well, on good habits, on the whys of eating, on eating mindfully, well, this helps. Reading Skinny Bitch and Half-Assed for encouragement.

3. Use my slogans. My mottoes. My affirmations. Where I am today is where my mind put me. Where I'll be tomorrow is where my mind will put me. Get Fit Have Fun Be Strong. Every day above ground is a blessed day. Use your mind and spirit. Be what you wanna be.

Affirmations help me, remind me of who I am and who I want to be.

So, that is my three step January challenge. Cindy, how are you going with yours? Maybe we can post regular updates?

Anyone going to join me??

Do I have any takers on the 42 day challenge? It is down to 35 days now.. lol

How about after Christmas.. or start on Jan 1 and have it be a 25 day challenge! :)

I feel so lonely...... lol

Anyone going to join me??

Awesome workout!

Ok.. I had the most incredible workout yesterday! And it also opened me to new horizons. I think that may be the most important thing.

I work out at theY as you all know. I do classes and the women's weight center. Also do the cardio room which is a big room full of all ages and lots of cadio machines.

Well, they also have a big weight room which I avoid. I alaways thought of it as the big hulky guys.. and felt intimiated to go in there.

Well, Lisa, who is an awesome aerobics instractor, sweet as can be and a friend now, was hanging in there working out and clowing around with friends. I snuck in to do some abs, and tried to make myself invisable. Well, she was hving such fun, I went over to try some machines near her. Soon she introduced me to psople and asked if I watned to join them for a circuit train on Friday. She said it will be HARD, but that is good!

(She cracks me up, because when we are in class doing something REALLY hard, she will look up, grin, and say "Life is good!" She is right!

I agreed to come.

So, yesterday morning at 6:30 am we all met.
She had devised a circuit train. 3 stations per block. We all rotate each station for a full minute at max effort. Them move to the next station. After we all finish the block, we rest a bit then do another block.

It was HARD stuff! We worked out for 1 hour and 20 minutes! There were four of us, one guy this rock hard body cop- nicest guy in the world and the three of them would trade jabs and trash talk... but they were all sweet to me as I was new.

It was so much fun! Just comraderie and helping each other max out and achieve.. and laugh and work hard. It opened up a whole new world (why was I afraid of the weight room) and also that you can have FUN while you work out... and that you can form friendships around working out and being healthy.

And.. I am so sore today.. truly in mucslesI have never worked before. Can't wait till our next circut train!

And I encourage everyone.. open your horizons, do something new, make working out fun, find a friend.. laugh! Life IS good!

Eating plan

Hi Julie and all

Here is my eating plan, cut and pasted from Word. Not sure how it will come through but I can email the doc to you if you want.
Really it is just eating 5 times a day. About 1400 calories and spacing them out. You can eat whatever you prefer, but I just listed foods I like, that are healthy, satisfy me and easy to keep aournd. I just like having a structure, so when hunger hits I run to my list to see what to eat, versus grazing through my fridge and pantry! Usually what I have planned sounds really good and I stay on track.

Of course I still struggle, and at night especially. Candy... chips, still call my name and I an working on that. Let me know if you want any more info... sometimes I like structure sometimes not.. hope this helps!
Cindy


Breakfast: 300 cal
2 eggs and toast
or
6 oz yogurt, 1 t honey and
¾ C Blueberries
coffee w/ ½

Snack: 200 cal
Chicken 6 oz
or mini bagel 120 w/ 2t pb 80
Or 6 oz Yogurt w/ 1 t honey

Lunch 300 cal
Salmon patty 4 oz,
or
Chicken
or
tuna 6 oz 200
with salad 1 t Oil/vinegar or spianch
1/2 C corn or small potato

Snack: 200
Tea or banana and 1 t pb
or
Fruit and cheese: choose between
-1 C grapes
-1 orange
-1 C strawberries
Mozz or Feta cheese 1oz

Dinner: 300 cal
4 oz salmon, or chicken
green veg
½ c corn or small potato
small fruit

Dessert:
Sugar free pudding or max glut and tea 100


Vitamins
Omega Oil

Water 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 total 1400 cal

The 42 Day Challenge

"Over Christmas? Are you crazy?"
~ my 15 year old son

"Anytime is the right time for health!"
~ me, (with my MOM-answer)

Yup, I am starting the challenge now. Of course I will have a Christmas cookie and a treat here and there. But I realized I have lost that 'connection' of food to mouth and mind and body. So that is one of my goals.

I am really getting back to basics. A few months ago I got serious about getting in shape as I decided I was really about 40 pounds overweight. I had a picture taken of me and realized I didn't recognize myself. Ugh. I got on a scheduel with a buddy and we really worked hard. I lost about 25, then went into maintenance, mostly because the schedule was pretty rigourous. But then maintenance turned into major-lapse and my old habits came back. So I am back up several pounds. I am not going to weigh. I think that would not be productive at this point. But I want some measurable goals.

So, they are really a lot of what I did before. But this time I am going to also focus on the connections part. Really think about what I eat, how I feel, focus on health and energy. Let weight loss be a by-product.

But here are my goals:

Eat on a plan I made up. It is about 1400 cal a day. Structured, but has options. So I can keep good food in the house and have options I like.

Workout schedule- Aerobics 6X week, Pilates 2 X week, Weights 3X week.
I have my Y schedule and will put it on my planner daily. I want to burn 550 cal a day.

Vitamins, essential oils, water.

Prayer and meditation

Focus on how I feel, health, when I see myself straying and coming up with solutinos (this is the hard part for me)

Ok! Those are my goals! Wish me luck!

Join me if you like! (with your own goals or share some of mine:) )

Hey Fellow Leaners but not Meaners!!

I have been awol, just checking in, but wanted to say hi! I hope to read more regularly and catch up. From what I see, looks like Julie and Leonie have been mostly holding down the fort. Good going, girls!

I have had a rough fall, and unfortunaltely hit has transferred to poundage UP and strength DOWN.

But that is ok, that is life. And I am full of resolve and have myself on a 42 day campaign to bring back some discipline in my life. I am so excited!

More on that later.. but I wanted to share something I discovered today. This is the little stuff, that adds the pounds back. Little things like this...

Ok, I had a great workout this morning and brought back out my heartrate monitor and watch to track my calorie burn. At the end of my workout came on this song I LOVE: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. Who can't jam to that? So I counted how many cals I burn in that 4min `14 second song.

30 calories.

Then I realized that those 3 handfuls of Peanut M&Ms I ate last night (which took about 6 seconds to scarf) probably were somewhat more thatn that hard workout song.

I researched and found out that EACH peanut M&M is 10 cal! So for that hard working, jammin' Born to Run for over 4 minutes... it was wiped out by 3 of those M&Ms! (And I had WAY more than three!)

Where have a gone astray? Not thinking. Not wanted to care for my body. Forgetting that my body is made up of cells (love your fat cell graphics, Julie) and I feed them with whatever goes in my mouth.

The goals in not SKNNY. The goal is healthy and building my body from the inside out.

I miss the way I felt about 3 months ago, when I was stronger, and leaner.. had energy. And my clothes fit so well so life was simple.

But now I am motivated. I have my challenge. Will post it next. Anyone want to join me? Do a 42 day challenge with your own goals?

Missed you all and so glad to be back!

hugs,

Cindy

Updates

Well, I lost a kilogram ( 2 lbs) when in Tokyo. Lots of walking, lots of drinking but not much eating. And a little bit of working out each day in the hotel room.

Now I'm home, am trying to get back into my fitness routine. Done some hard Advanced Taebos, one hour long. And some shorter workouts for busy days - the tough but effective Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred.

I love my workouts! I wake up feeling horrible, have a cold and cough since Tokyo. I do some kickboxing and I feel better - it clears my head, gets rid of the achy thing that comes with a cold.

How are you? Working out or not, let us know what is going on!

The abover? One of the Japanese lunch bento boxes we hd in Tokyo. Definitely not a lot of food - especially when you can't eat half of it!

Lost a kilo!

Unbelievable!

But true!

I was feeling defeated when I wrote the last post....I didn't WANT to give up... but....I was sure close to it!

Then this morning...as the drum rolled in my head (for dramatic effect)...I approached the 'scale' to torture myself yet again.

I found, however, a loss of 1 kg!!!!

Yes!

The diet worked despite all the hiccups (uhmmm....chocolate cake and yummy stuff at a b'day party the second day into it and then noodles and brownies at the zoo during the second cycle....alas!)

Oh! It's like a dose of CPR!

There is hope!

I do know for sure that the workouts are essential!

The feeling of your body firming up is the best!

My goals this week is to take baby steps with the workouts: will aim for three this week and will continue the diet!

Here I go....

Gettin' Down with the Fanny Lifter!

A quote from Emily Walsh's FIRM workout, pictured left. AWT.

Aerobic Weight Training.

I've been working out with an AWT focus this week. Mostly FIRM workouts , new and old.

Sometimes, like yesterday, it has had to be a short workout. 30 minutes, as we were going to be out all day. Mass and Kumon Awards Ceremony at Darling Harbour.

Sometimes, a nice longer AWT session.

What is AWT?

Aerobics and weight training together.

Aerobics and toning fitness video workouts include both fat-burning cardio and body-sculpting in the same program. The balance of techniques creates a fitness video format that's both varied and effective.

They also involve interal training - as does kickboxing and Taebo. Interval training videos are also called circuit training videos. One type of interval training fitness video has alternating intervals of aerobics and toning. This keeps your heart rate up as it burns fat.

So, I'm having fun working out. Hope you are, too!

Well.....

Well...I've just proven to myself again this week that 'walking' and I just don't mix!

It sadly just does not give me any motivation...I struggle with it...don't know why but I do!

Consequently, most of this week I forfeited any significant workouts because one way or another the avoidance of the walk managed to take over!

As you can well imagine the result is just a feeling of stagnancy! Frustration! Despair!

I did manage to do the diet for the most part of the week yet over the last days I feel...bloated and having taken some pictures on an excursion yesterday I notice my face looks like its got cellulite! EEEEWWWW!

Sigh!

I can only try again this week.

Very disappointed that I failed myself with the unfulfilled promise of losing some weight and feeling fitter by the end of the year...(head dropped)...but I can't deny that the changes that I did start have made a significant difference in my day to day activities.

Feeling very run down this week and beginning to think it really has got a lot to do with not doing the intense workouts, however, the legacy of having done them those consecutive weeks has allowed me to have a lot more energy and endurance, without being 'out of breath' all the time!

It's just that I have sooooooo much weight to lose...It gets to me....

Heavy aaaaannnnnnd Heavy Laden!

Hi!

It's been a non-eventful two weeks in terms of exercise and I can FEEL it..(frustration...snarl...snarl...grump!)

Whereas I was beginning to see and definitely feel the benefits of a more exercised, firmer midriff...I can now feel the 'bulge' sensation that I so detest!

Why do I do this????
Why do I let myself lull into complacency so QUICKLY!

Well...the fight is not completely lost!
I still have tiny reserves of enthusiasm left, though I seem to fighting an enemy which I can at least now identify......The Sedentary Militia!
Looking back critically at my whole weight gain experience...I can see how it has managed to ambush me! It creeps in....

Ok....I've been extremely busy...emotionally more than anything else and the subliminal message was 'take a break...you need a rest'....which I could identify straight away, so I fell back into the old "comfort zone" of research and reading...which relaxes me....but forgot THE ALL ESSENTIAL BALANCE!
Before I realized it, I could feel the difference in my body again, not the good change, only the bad!

My initial reaction was.....give up!
My second thought was...No! Not this time!

I've really been feeling 'weighed down' with everything so as I stopped to reevaluate things, I made the decision to buy a Leg Master which I had been wanting for ages and which was on special...my new toy kind of....since last week I have been doing sporadic jumps onto it and that helped me feel better!

Similiarly, I decided to take the plunge and start the diet!
I've actually lost one kilo which proved another incentive! Yes!

And since for some reason, I am finding it sooooooooo hard to do a workout, I've set my goal this week in terms of walks! My daughter has been begging me to start taking her down to the beach of an evening to walk..... Thinking perhaps this is the counterstrike I need, in order to break that sedentary mindset that I've adopted...to actually get out there and get a change of scenery, take in the fresh air!

Been really trying to come face to face with the 'excuses' that have underminded me in past efforts to lose weight! But....oh boy...is it a labyrinth!!!!!

Workout log

Saturday I did Taebo Advanced Live 5 - killer glute work to the song My Sherona.

Sunday was Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1 - good kickboxing cardio, esp to some Brittney Spears songs and to Don't Blame it on the Boogy.

Today? Not great music but a different workout - no kickboxing, just cardio and some light weights. The FIRM TransFIRMation Cardio Overdrive.

Anyone want to update re workouts - or lack thereof? :-)

Feelin' Fat and Chubby

Been feeling fat and chubbby lately. You know, losing weight and being healthy is not only a physical thing. It is also mind thing. An ongoing mind thing for me.

Taebo helps. First, it is cardio, sometimes hard cardio.

Secondly, it is resistance training and toning. Those kicks. Those punches. That floorwork.

These make me feel like I am powerful. Fit. Losing weight. Slimmer.

It's all psychological with me.

Thirdly, doing Taebo helps me with endorphins. Working out hard with many pushups and squat thrusts on yesterday's Bootcamp 2 made me feel tough and happy and invincible. And a bit sore, but that's another story.

Worked out with Advanced Taebo Live 2 today. The killer floorwork with the song Simply Irresistible, made me sing. Out loud. Be happy.

Finally, Taebo helps me with that mind thing. Billy' s words of wisdom, his little motivational talks at the end, help me. His words act as affirmations or slogans. Remind me I can keep on keeping on.

Hopefully feeling fitter will stop that chubby feeling.

Affirmations

Affirmations?

The act of affirming or the state of being affirmed; assertion.
Something declared to be true; a positive statement or judgment.

Affirmations have helped me on my weight loss and fitness journey. They help me now, as I try to learn to eat normally, to maintain a reasonable weight.

What affirmations have helped you?

Some of mine -

W.I.W.M. ( what I want most)

Discipline is remembering what I want tomorrow not what I want today

Every day above ground is a blessed day

Where I am today is where my mind put me; where I'll be tomorrow is where my mind'll put me

If she can, I can!

I'll show him! ( lol!)

Never give up. Ever. Ever.

Just Do It!

I.N.O. ( it's not an option)

I don't do that anymore

...ON THE LOOSE....NEEDING TO LOOSEN UP!

What a relief to be on this side of the week!

Troubles abounded and workouts were zilch!

However....I did get to do some abdominal work, keeping that section on notice just before 'blacking out' most nights from mere emotional and mental exhaustion....

On the positive side: I've been really encouraged by the 'loose fitting' of some of my clothes!

YES!!!!!

It's happening...deep down there...something is going on! I do find it funny that although most of my workouts have been focused on my midsection, it's actually my legs and shoulder area that are showing the quickest results! No matter...I will continue until I get that middle bit right!



I must add that my nightmare week did end with many miracles! God is amazing...He really does turn our mourning to laughter and never misses a thing!

My husband ended up booking me into the Stamford at the Airport for a night...to take some time on my own...to take a breather...and OH BOY...it took my breath away!

My room had the most awesome view of Botany Bay and both the Domestic and International Airports...Now...the significance of this goes back a loooong way...my dad was in the Peruvian Air Force and since I lost him when I was only one, I have always had this love of being near planes! So here I was...graced with being spoiled and nestled in a place that gave me a sense of security and peace! I was like a kid at the candy store...sat there and just took it all in! It was such a great experience!

Now....4 weeks ago when I started the exercise commitment I had spent many years with a 'supposed' stress related anxiety and claustrophobia that I could not shake off...couldn't be in enclosed areas (like elevators..a no no) or even situations that put me in a place that I could not control...my throat would grow dry and I would get a desperation to swallow, which it seemed I just couldn't do! That brought on panic...feelings of faint...like I was dying!

Now....here I was...4 weeks on...having begun to confront an old enemy of mine that has played me for a FAILURE for soooo many years (that is, my inability to get myself in shape...to be a healthier me..to take control of my body!) Never thought or gave this area of my life so much significance but you know what, the damage WAS being done!...

Now, here I was on the 11th floor!

No panic!

No stress... DESPITE the nightmare week!

Just a sense of awe!

Thanking God for his healing and my awesome family and friends who have been helping me thru this!

And guess what! The hotel had a gym!!!!!

Although I really did not feel like exercising...I did get myself down there and did some walking on the treadmill and workouts on three other machines! Any other time this would have been an exercise dream! There was even a pool, a spa.. a sauna...could have done so much...but there were other things that God was dealing with in me that were just as important!

I found it really hard to relax completely...kept feeling guilty about not having the kids and hubby enjoying this experience with me! Go figure....that's a mother for you!

In the end, I walked away with many a revelation that I think was important for my continued success in Operation Fitness for my life....I even thank God for letting the things that did happen last week happen because they were trying to lead me to realizing that somewhere along the line with the guilt and personal failure regarding my self-esteem and perception, I had lost my joy! My zest for life! My joie de vie!

Where did it go?

I don't know!

When did I lose it?

I didn't THINK it was missing!

But it is now obvious....I have to loosen up!

I have to forgive myself for my failings and get back on the starting mark and run the race with renewed strength, outlook and vision!

It's the sense of failure and accompanying regrets, frustration and anger that have left me empty...thinking I could never be what I really wanted to be ....which at its most basic level...is happy and give my family a happy life!

I've been, in real fact, alienating myself on many levels because I was out of control and felt deep down that I could do nothing about it! I've been contradicting the very foundations of what I have wanted to achieve in my life! And I've been sending the wrong messages! Confusing those I love the most, without even realizing it....because of ...shame! Shame from my own failure in this...a failure which I could not hide or even cover up!

This failure and anger does not belong to me and it's time

to get rid of it too, just like the fat! I don't want it!

This weeks goals:

1. To continue the ab workouts and tae bo training

2. To initiate an ongoing workout for more laughter and joy in all areas of my life!

To loosen up just as my clothes are loosening up... as the fat gives way...now its time for the disappointments and failures to give way and let the new Julie emerge!

Have a great workout week....and don't forget to get rid of the 'failure' mentality wherever and if ever it rears it's ugly head!

God bless!

Working out and weight loss

This week, I changed up my workout routine. Inspired by a thread at Video Fitness, I pulled out my Cindy Crawford workouts.

High repetition, low weights, fast paced but not true aerobics.

I alternated between The Next Challenge and Shape your Body all week, I gave it my all. I sang to the music ( songs by Blondie, Seal,the Smithereens, - the song Crazy, Top Top of the Pops and so on).

I worked hard and enjoyed myself. And today , in spite of a big restaurant lunch yesterday, and in spite of the accompanying fair amount of alcohol, I found I'd lost a kilo.

Woo hoo!

And my arms and glutes just look a littletighter, too

Thik I'll try and stay with Cindy this week!

Video Fitness

Sharing one of my favourite fitness forums ~ Video Fitness.

VF also has a group at Facebook.

What is VF??

Video Fitness is a thriving online community whose members are dedicated to helping each other make the most of a home exercise program. Members accomplish this by writing reviews of the exercise videos that they use regularly, and by sharing advice and opinions in the Reader Forum.

We do not sell videos, so our community members can be totally honest about whether a fitness video lives up to its claims and to the reviewers' expectations. If you're looking for a place to buy the videos you read about here, see our Sources section, which includes consumers' comments about their experiences with particular vendors.

Video Fitness is a community unlike most you'll find on the Internet. Some of our community members have been coming here for years. Dozens have met in person on VF road trips or at local VF get-togethers, and many close friendships have formed around this common interest in fitness videos. As a result, the Reader Forum at Video Fitness will seem less impersonal than other fitness boards you'll find on the Internet. Most regular posters use their real names, and are often very candid about their lives and the challenges they face to working out regularly.

Video Fitness initially grew and developed with the help of advanced level home exercisers--women who had been using fitness videos regularly for years. As a result, the reviews (especially earlier ones) and the Forum postings can seem skewed toward the advanced perspective. However, the women who post about their rigorous workouts were once beginners, too. They didn't start out by lifting 50 lb. barbells or completing 2 hour marathon video workouts. They worked up to it gradually as their fitness level increased. If they can do it, so can you!

Another thing you'll notice is that we don't talk about diet much at Video Fitness. Yes, diet is a fundamental part of a healthy lifestyle, but every health and fitness site, as well as every women-oriented site on the Web, seems to focus on diet. Most Video Fitness readers enjoy having a haven from diet talk--a place they can go to focus exclusively on exercise and personal goal-setting.

Had to share this one!!!!!

Just had to share THIS...a little milestone in my battle with the bulge!

I lost 2 kilos!

Weighed myself reluctantly this morning....thinking...I'm not going to get caught up in the often too regular scale heckling, I'm accustomed to...but...I had to have a peak. Last week my 'get up and move' bubble was burst many a times, including an encounter with the scales that showed a gain of 1 kilo!

Today, however, I savour the sweet entree of success that my workouts have bought me!

I feel so bad that I didn't perservere more last week.

It's been three weeks since venturing into this new Workout Lifestyle and Week 2 was a real fizzler!

I haven't been able to change my diet at all....so, for the most part...it's been the EXERCISE! Funny how Leonie just brought up the subject in her post today! Thought...SHAZZAM...when I read it!

I know fad diets are a NO NO...but...a friend suggested I try the Japanese Morning Banana Diet, which is supposed to activate the metabolism....so I tried it yesterday and did ok...didn't feel hungry most of the day - then again I really got into 3 workouts during the day - putting the " old veg out" time to doing the dvds!

Apparently, in having just banana and water at room temperature (yeah yuck) for breakfast (you can eat as much banana as you like), it's supposed to kickstart your metabolism. You can basically eat all you want all day, within reason, right (trying to steer away from desserts) and as long as your last meal is eaten before 8pm and you go to sleep before 12, this start to your day is meant to make a difference with your ability to metabolize your food..........despite criticism....there are a lot of people losing a lot of weight.

Since I'm not a big breakfast eater......I'm giving it a try!

So here I go......resolved to continue this commitment to see change in my body...GOOD CHANGE! HOOOORAY!!!!!!

........All I want is a waist for Christmas...........sigh

I don't do that any more!

From The Do-able Diet ~ Barbara Wimhurst, a mother in her 20s, lost 45 kg on her own by eating less and exercising...

I remind myself constantly "I don't do that anymore". Every time my eye wanders down the confectionery aisle, or I go to eat the crusts from my sons' lunch or I think to ask for some extra cream on the side, I repeat this affirmation, "I don't do that anymore". These words remind me of how far I have come and how much I prefer the sweet taste of freedom and success,

OMG! Sore bu**

That's me today. I find it hard to walk up my stairs.

Why?

My Bu** is killing me after some great workouts.

Yesterday I did Taebo Advanced Live 10 - cool music ( Knock On Wood, Your Love is Lifting Me Higher, Boogie Fever, Simply Irresistible) and some killer floorwork. Ouch.

Then today I did Cindy Crawford's The Next Challenge - some effective cardio/leg/lower body work then abs and chest/upper body. Nice music too - especially the Blondie song.

No wonder it's hard to walk up those stairs without pain. But it's so worth it and the workouts are so much fun.

There's a fine line between pleasure and pain ~ The Divinyls.

....Sound off...one...two...Recommit..three..four!

Gee...I've only been at the GREAT GET IN SHAPE plan for only 3 wks and I'm already needing to recommit!

I Am hyped up after having found the Billy Blank's Bootcamp Boxed kit...which has...Ab Bootcamp...which is what I was WANTING!!!! Last weeks effort to do the workout through You Tube proved a failure as sharing the two computers between the five us, is a logistical nightmare, plus it kept freezing up and then taking forever to download....so now...God has pushed aside yet ANOTHER excuse ( uhhhumm!) after my morning winge on Leonie's post.

I also came across the Kickbox PARTY that my Honorary Workout Therapist, Leonie (this is the first time she hears THIS!) suggested ......and it is now in my hot little hands!

On this Monday afternoon, I stand here (or rather...sit and type) and recommit to my exercise goals before you...cyberspace bloggers...and do hereby set my goals as getting through the Ab Bootcamp and the Kickbox Party for this week!

Additional Goal: to get into a structured weight loss eating plan!

Haven't been very good about confronting this full on but just bought the Abs

Diet for Women (incl. DVD) and will try to follow that this week.

God bless us in our efforts!

BootCamp

Interesting article on bootcamps.

Participants in the study used a Bootcamp DVD workout.

I own a couple of Bootcamp DVDs but not the one mentioned in the article. What I like about Bootcamp is the mix of cardio and bodyweight resistance work; sometimes you use bands or dumbbells too; and it is fun to mess around with the push yourself military style.

Which ones do I own?

Kickbox Bootcamp

Crunch Bootcamp

Denise Austin Bootcamp

Taebo Bootcamp Elite

Taebo Bootcamp 1 & 2

Taebo Bootcamp Boxed Set

Workout Update

Well, guys, its just Julie and me posting right now? lol!

Friday I did another Turbo Jam workout. Cardio Party 3. About 50 minutes. I love, love, love the moves, the kickbox and dance and capoeira, in this one. And I love the music - "Party Party People".

I was woo hooing and having fun, doing my workout before mass and ice skating. Jonathon ( son number 4) told me to calm down! lol!

Saturday was a time for a short workout. Turbo Jam Cardio Pary Remix - two turbos or anaerobic drills. A high energy workout in only 30 minutes.

Worse for Wear!

Ummmmmmmmmmm......this week has been DISAPPOINTING on the workout level of my achievements.

Monday: On fire with Bootcamp 1 and JM's Full Frontal and even some gym work
Tuesday: Decided to take a day off because I was feeling off colour
Wednesday: Was so full of energy that I decided I would rearrange the furniture and strained my upper back....no workout possible!
Thursday: Awwwwwwwwwww! Back still sore, couldn't even turn!

My back is no longer hurting but I'm feeling so FLAT!
Mind you, everything inside is saying ' get that workout done'.....GET BACK ON THE HORSE!

Need to get thru a mountain of homeschooling work with my homeschooler, who has been suffering from food poisoning since Monday! But before the end of today.....I WILL WORKOUT!!!

Girls Just Wanna have Fun!

This week's log.

Hmmm..Not sure about goals this week...But I want to keep up the emphasis on kickboxing and cardio..And I need some weight or resistance work ( I've seen my arms!)....And I want to have fun in my workouts...Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Sunday A weight workout, late afternoon, after a busy but great day at our church's 25th celebration. The FIRM TransFIRMation ~ Hard Core Fusion. Aussie readers - this set, with weights, is available for sale right now at Big W!

Monday Kickbox, dance, capoeira, cardio. Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1

Tuesday Another Turbo Jam - Kickin ' Core - 30 minutes higher impact kickbox cardio, 15 minutes strength and ab work - I used a weighted medicine ball...

Wednesday The Firm Pump Jump n Jab Around the 40 minute mark, kickbox intervals alterated with dumbbell resistance work. Finishes with push ups, planks, ab work. Nice one!

Thursday Turbo Jam Punch Kick and Jam 50 minute workout, more athletic and less dancy kickboxing than other TJ workouts. I love how the music in TJ is real music, not canned techno stuff, and how it is geared to the routines. A capoeria section, then capoeria legwork and some work on form with or without a resistance band.

My eating has been up the creek. I am eating irregularly, at odd times, missing meals, not always making the best selections - like cake for a very late breakfast two days in a row and no proper dinner two nights in a row - just a mandarin or cheese and crackers. HMM. Really, Really Need To Get Back Into A Better Eating Routine.

Julie, how's your eating plan going?

YES!... I DID IT......NOW...I'M EXCITED !

Girls!

I achieved part of my goals for this week!

Achieved goals:
1. Alternated Bootcamp 1 and Bootcamp 2 every weekday this week (Mon-Fri)
2. Alternated JM's Full Frontal and Maximize Frontal during the weekdays
3. Did 2 days of Blank's Ab Bootcamp
4. Walked along Maroubra beach coastline (3/4) on Thursday
5. Did some gym work

Felt I really needed to get a kickstart this week! Felt at times like really not doing it but was "driven' towards doing the workouts....I'm 'feeling' different! It's helping me FEEL different!

Blank says to give it 40 days before you see the changes and that kind of hit a nerve with me...Ok....I want to see the 'changes'...so...I need consistency...commitment...Ok...

I'm not doing it to the point of exhaustion....I'm a big girl but I always had a high level of flexibility when I was younger and part of me was really 'anxious' ... actually...about having to face reality and accept that perhaps age (and years of inactivity) had taken that away!

...BUT...it's still there!
ALLELUYA!
Realizing "I still could" just rocketed me on!

I can already 'feel' the changes...though miniscule to the casual observer....
I'm breathing better! - Confession time: I have been suffering from this 'anxiety' type of throat constriction for years...where I felt I had something in my throat and could never swallow it...the sensation would make me claustrophobic and panicky...YET...NOW...I'm swallowing better! I don't feel the same...I actually went on an elevator to the 17th floor (entering an elevator is something I haven't done for years!)...These minor stepping stones are making me sooooo HAPPY!

Unachieved Goals:

Did not begin the Liver Cleansing Diet (had to re-buy the book after having lent my copy)-
Feel I still need to follow some structured eating and cleansing plan!


Goals for this Week:

1. Bootcamp workouts daily
2. Gym workouts
3. Specific ab workouts ( JM's Full Frontal and Maximize)
4. Start Liver Cleansing Diet

Thank you, Girls for your support in all this....knowing that you guys are out there and wanting me to achieve this is really helping!

God Bless and have a great workout week!!!!!!!!!

Leonie's Workout Log

Goals for this week ~

*Concentrate on cardio/kickboxing, especially Turbo Jam and Taebo. Why? I find that cardio/kickbox helps me keep that calories balance and works out my upper abs ( my problem area). And it helps burn off stress, all those powerful punches and kicks, all that cool music.

* Work on portion control and avoidng mindless eating, picking at food...

* Smile more!

Sunday Not a bad eating day, in spite of those yummy margaritas! lol! Did a 40 minutes workout - Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1. Busta move!

Monday Worked out with dh and son Jonathon - an hour long Taebo Advanced Live 9. Classic Taebo, leg and butt and ab work, pushups. My arms were feeling it. Yay! I was singing and jumping and happy, with all the endorphins cruising in my veins...Its okay, I can laugh at myself! :-)

Tuesday Fitting a workout into a busy day. Turbo Jam Punch, Kick and Jam. A more athletic version of TJ.

Wednesday. In a rush, couldn't decide what to do so did Turbo Jam Fatblaster. Gota love all those Turbo drills in this workout. had a terrible tummy ache this evening so ate a late but light dinner ~ a Weight Watchers meal, Chicken Carbonara.

Thursday Another TJ workout - this time a weights workout. I am a bit of a cardio freak but I know weights are important for bone density, building and toning muscle, increasing metabolism. So, I did Booty Sculpt plus Abs with 7 and 9 lb weights and a resistance band.

Friday. Today! Still on my TJ craze so did Cardio Party 2 - love the kick sequence in this, to the music and lyrics of Sir Mixalot - Baby Got Back.

Saturday. Tired - lack of sleep, and worked at church working bee, so had to workout in the afternoon. Decided to go for corny dancing fun. Richard Simmon's Disco Sweat - I can make it harder by increasing the impact. Sang Disco Inferno!

How's everyone's week?

Operation Cut The Fat....out!

I have made a new schedule for my week...this week is still School holidays so I think it's perfect to focus on getting into a solid workout plan:

Goals: To do the Billy Blank Bootcamp workouts daily

Play some afternoon tennis with the family

Walking (my husband is off work and the kids love it...we are off to the National Park today!)

To keep moving!


Food Attitude: Because of the amount of weight I have to loose...I need to start a structured eating plan......
Having listened intently to some friends sharing 'diets' on Friday, I prayed and remembered a diet plan that helped my sister lose 3 dress sizes and I had tried it for 5 days and lost nearly 5 kilos...but failed to perservere...

The Liver Cleansing Diet by Sandra Cabot

My mother had always said to us that it was important to keep our livers healthy- something which our perservative ridden lifestyles do not do!!!! I will tell you that my sister shrunk! Literally but looked so healthy! Its all about going back to healthy eating...no starvation....all aiming to restore the liver to its natural functions so that it can do its job and kick the metabolism back on track and deal with cleaning out our bodies...like it was meant to do...

Here I go....my commitment this week...workout and clean out my food!!!!! No more icy cokes from Maccas!!!

Whatever Process You are Following is Perfect for the Results You are Getting

I ran across the above profoundity somewhere on line as I was surfing health/diet/exercise.

This spoke to me and convicted me, too! I made a little sign and posted it on my fridge.

As I stand there looking at the words I realize just where I am now, with health and weight and fitness really is just the perfect reflection of the 'process' my body has been through as of late. My body does not play tricks with me, it just naturally reflects what I put into it and how much I move it.

That strips away the 'magic' of this diet or that one. There is no secret formula or mojo to make a diet work. It simply reflects how I live.

I think it also helped me to stop beating myself up because I didn't follow a strict diet or exercise plan. It made me see this is a process.

And, I realized too, that if I had not done all the good I HAD done, that I would be more out of shape and heavier. I am doing good things, too and my body notices those!

So, anyway, I liked this. It was honest and convicting but not negative.. and helps me continue to see this is a process and about long term habits. And slip ups are allowed. That is life!

Cindy's Exercise Plan for Week of Oct 4th

Every Sunday I look at my calendar for the week. The first thing I pencil in every day is my workout plan. That is the only way I know I will get to my workouts and treat them like appointments.

Then I fill in the rest of my life around them.... :) I love the way it makes me feel.. and i love getting the workouts done first thing so they are done.. and I can move on with my day.

This week will be challenging as I am going to be in Chicago Thursday through Saturday for a Lighthouse Catholic Media conference. I am excited, though to meet all these wonderful people and on Thursday I get to go to an Ignatian silent retreat at a monestary. Boy, do I need it! So, I will have to find some way to MOVE during my Chicago time.

Here is my workout plan: (all at the YMCA)

Sunday- Eliptical machines at the Y with new playlist my spinning teacher gave me! Oh, music motivates me so much!


Monday:
11 am weight workout &
Spinning class

Tuesday:
6am (yikes!) Step and Mat class


Wednesday:
6am- Athletic Conditining class (cardio and weights)


Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Me and my tennis shoes at the monestary! I asked my friend going with me to bring her tennies, too... she has told me she HATES exercise and calls my workouts my 'torture sessions' but she does like to walk.. .so we will have fun.



What are you all planning this week? Big steps? Little steps?

Now...I'm angry...this is war against fat!

Somehow...someway....I have avoided looking at my PROBLEM realistically....
Sure...I knew I had gained weight...but...today the full impact of realizing that I am obese has just hit me.....I'm so mad...mad at myself....mad at the fat!

We took some photos yesterday and while downloading them today....AHHHHHHH! I look sooo bad... I'm not kidding...this is not self-pity...It's just being real...as a matter of fact, before today, I would have deleted all the photos (I did one or two because I just couldn't handle it..) but I have purposely put them on my Facebook because I want to SEE change...I want to see what everyone else is obviously seeing and I've been 'editing' out of my life....

No more excuses....I need excercise
I need to change my eating habits
I need to change my sedentary lifestyle

I really do need this!

No more excuses....No more excuses...No more excuses.... My habits have to change!!! Now!!!

Kicked it at my workout this morning!

Well, to finish out my week I took off yesterday because a good friend called and was on my side of town, so we went to a resturant for breakfast, then did shopping, then lunch.. what fun!

But today... I made up for it.. See here... :)

Hi Yall

Hi everyone! I decided to get back to my workout journal. I will keep posting here, but if you want more boring details about my life, please drop in!

Cindy

September Summary

I got back into running in September by starting with a running partner who is a homeschooling mother of 5. We meet two mornings a week to run and share ideas although the huffing and puffing has cut down on the talking. Nancy found a program that eased us into running with 1 mi jogs followed by 2 min brisk walks alternating for 5 sets. Then it was 2 min runs...then 3 min. Weekend runs were on our own, but I've managed to make all of mine. :)

My first Oct run was yesterday and afterward I sat down to look over what I've accomplished. In September I ran 3 times a week for 4 weeks, and yesterday I easily ran 2 miles seperated by a 1/4 mi walk. I'm feeling pretty good, and this morning I treated myself to a plain, grande coffee from Starbucks after my run. On the chilly walk home with my hands warmed by the coffee and my nose full of the scent of paper cup, I pondered what habit I could gently add in this month. No decisions yet. Perhaps making sure I get my (breastfeeding mom's) 8 servings of fruit/veg a day?

Enough with the excuses!

Having decided to take the 'exercise' plunge...I'm a bit frustrated that I have failed to do the workouts over the last two days....

The school holidays has proven to send things into a spin...but not of the excersise kind!

Not having exercised for years.... I struggled at first with Jeanette Jenkins' Kickboxing Bootcamp...achieving a whole 10 mins of the warm up on the first try (uhggggg)...but I thought to myself...it's a start! Two days later I was able to do the whole dvd but in three segments (uhggggg...uhgggg...uhgggg).... I felt encouraged....I guess the endorphin kick set in and I no longer felt that negative ' I will never be able to do this' feeling. I find that her workout is good but she wears me out before I can get to the nitty gritty of the workout....so I tried

JM's Shape Up front....thinking again...I'll never make it...but I did..on the first try I finished it after two breaks and am keen on trying the maximise full frontal (my major problem area). I was able to keep up with her much better than the Jenkin's workout - didn't feel so puffed out...go figure! Loved her " I'm not going to let you quit' attitude...I needed it!

The curious 'take on a challenge' part of me took the Billy Blank's Bootcamp 1 out of its plastic wrap (can't even remember when I had bought it..but it was there...challenging me from the dingy darkness of the closet..).... It was fabulous...I was a human sprinkler system and in the privacy of my own exercise corner AND I felt like I was achieving something! I was able to finish it with two very short breaks...I found him very encouraging with his tidbits....just when I was questioning everything inside me...I heard this "you need at least 40 days of effort before you are going to see any results" voice coming from the tv and it just helped me put things into perspective....I know it sounds silly and unrealistic...but that defeatist part of me wanted to have seen results yesterday...just to justify giving up...but Blank's set me straight and I did it!

These last two days have seen other major obstacles stand in my way and I have not been able to get back to my workouts....but whereas...in the past...I would have let them get to me to the point of feeling 'crippled'...I've stopped to think that perhaps God is letting them come to surface because, like the exercise....I have to deal with them and they too have been a thorn in my side...the piece of wood in this lions paw.... with all her roars and bravado...these rotten little things tend to get the better of me...but...I don't want them to anymore...ENOUGH IS WITH THE EXCUSES!

Mind you! I chose yesterday to get out of the house and trying to 'air out'... went on a window shopping outing to a couple of suburbs.....I had the 'need to exercise' in the forefront of my mind so I pushed the pace at which I walked right around the shopping precincts....Does that count? I was good and refused to buy any junk...though the Pastisserie's taunted me to the left and the right and though I felt the hunger pangs by 2pm, I shunned the Chinese Take-away.....

On the drive home however...... the thought of an icy cold Coke from Mc Donalds seemed to be exactly what I needed.....so I talked myself into just making a quick stop and maybe grabbing a couple of chicken mcnuggets...I had done all that walking... I thought... and the heat yesterday here in Sydney was stifling...but...would you believe...that on the drive home (the shortcut way I use) had NO MC DONALDS ! The only Maccas and Hungry Jacks I passed were on the other side of the Princes Highway , which with the heat, I was not bothered to do the major turns and u turns needed to get there.........so I made it home....and sat down to the chicken leftovers from the night before and a refreshing salad........there were no cold cokes in the fridge...just some cold apple juice.... and....an ice cream (wooooops)!

Cindy's Log Week of Sun Sept 29th

Sunday:

REST :)

Monday:
Spinning class. I have not been to spinning in so long and I loved it. This instructor (Lynn) has THE best music. It all has a beat and keeps me so motiavated. After, I did 100 abs and 40 pushups

Tuweday:
Trying to get back to my 6am workouts.... I got really tired mid afternoon when I did them, but I MISS them! The format, instructor and fellow participants were just awseome AND I was done by 7:30! That was a cool feeling. But slept in, so did 40 min on the eliptical.

Wednesday: 6am Athletic conditioning class at the Y. Fun.
She had us do 30 min alternating step, BOSU and Slide. Ever done the slide? I found a picture and put it up top...it is the long thing that looks like a gray slip and slide about 6 feet long and 2 feet wide. You put little booties over your tennies and you slide right to left like a speed skater. GREAT workout.

AFter cardio, we did 30 min of weight work. Felt great as many of us had few workouts during the 3 weeks since Hurricane Ike.

Thursday Plan:
6am Mat Pilates class and eliptical

Friday Plan:
not sure yet...

Eating has been way off. Schedules have been werid since the hurricane.. ready to get back on healthy track.

Workout Log Week of Sun Sept 29

Am keeping an online log - do you want to join me?

Sunday Taebo Bootcamp 1 - with my dh! A 40 minute bootcamp military style workout - with traditional taebo moves, of course!
Terrible with eating - no, I didn't eat too much calorie wise, but I ate unwisely. No dinner for example! Something that has been happening regularly lately...

Monday Turbo Jam Punch Kick and Jam. About 50 minutes of kickbox and capoeira. Fun!

Tuesday Turbo Jam Cardio Party 3- a 55 minute cardio sweat fest. A nice section near the end where you work on form in punches and kicks. And I need to stop eating mindlessly, stop picking at food here and there...

Wednesday A quickie today. Turbo Jam Fatblaster. 30 minutes but advanced - 8 Turbos! Feeling fat, especially, when I look at pics. Am re-reading Overcoming Overeating, Confessions of a Former Fat Girl and The Do-able Diet.

Thursday. Am off to do another Turbo Jam workout. Probably Cardio Party 1 or 2.
ETA - Did Cardio Party 1. Did you hear me singing along with LL Cool J - Mamma said knock you out! lol! And my eating was still pretty uneven..

Friday Planning on another Turbo Jam - probably Cardio Party 3. Didn't happen, our DVD player broke. So I did an old Taebo on VHS. Advanced Live 2 - great music, singing along with Early In The Morning, Be What I Wanna Be. Powerful kicks and punches, great standing ab work. Trying not to eat more than I need. It's all about portion control..

Saturday Gonna try that TJ Cardio Party 2 from yesterday, hopefully the DVD player has recovered!

Hey, guys!

I changed the look of our blog - hope this is okay! And do you know anyone else who is interested in joining and sharing about fitness?

Can You Relate?

Turbo Jam Kickin' Core

A super workout for yesterday - I forgot how much I love the music in that workout, simply because I've been so focused on puke-in-the-bucket workouts that I FORGET to get into my fiun but effective workouts. The ones that work but with great music.

I think there's room for both sorts of workouts in my regime.

And, to be truthful, kickboxing like Taebo and Turbo Jam have played the biggest exercise role in my weight loss, helped to (kinda) reshape my body.

Kickin' Core has some nice hip hop, old school. It has some dance, shake what your mamma gave you moves. It has powerful kicks, punches and capoeira. And it is good for the core and those obliques - boy, do I need that.

About 45 minutes long, although I sometimes do just the cardio and then double up on a favourite section or on the turbo ( the anerobic drill).

Have you Turbo'd today? :-)

DIEt not

I liked this, from Sparkpeople

No Fads, No Pills, No Diets, Just Living Life

I'm looking for the honest balance that I can keep for the rest of my life. So far I think I've found it. A diet is not the answer. I've read the quote before, "DIET starts with DIE". I believe this to be true. It's has to be a complete way of life. It just has to be. Something that you can live with, day in and day out FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AND BE 100% COMFORTABLE WITH IT. If you can't do that with how you eat right now... you've not found it yet. Anything less and you've started to DIEt.

The REAL goal is to MINDFULLY eat SENSIBLE, CLEAN, HEALTHY food EVERY day. If you approach eating this way you'll never be hungry.

MINDFUL - This is so important. You must be mindful of what you eat. By mindful I mean that when eating you should take the time to concentrate ON eating. Plate your food. Sit down. Eat it. Think about each bite. Revel in every sensation of eating. Why? Being mindful give you purpose. It slows you down. Makes you think about every bite... and gives your tummy time to send the message... HEY! I'm full! Be mindful.

SENSIBLE - I'm 42 years old. I will NOT deprive myself. If I want A cookie (notice I said "A"), or I want A bowl of ice cream (again, that "A") then doggone it... I'm going to. My "SENSIBLE" 1/2 cup of ice cream isn't going to make me fat again... but eating a pint every day will. I have to live. I will not deprive myself, but I will be SENSIBLE about what I put in my face.

CLEAN - I've also cut the vast majority of processed foods out of my general eating habits. I've found that most processed food have horrific amounts of salt in them. If you can't pick it off a bush or tree, pull it out of the ground or cut it off of an animal, it has no business being in your body. I'm not perfect with this... but again... I am only human... see SENSIBLE.

HEALTHY - Here is where SparkPeople is really helping me. By letting me look at what's going in its helping me make better and better choices each day as to what I eat. I eat 6 times a day. This REALLY helped me a lot. Before I would skip breakfast, not eat till 12... gorge on Chili's Asian Wings (about 1800 cal), eat a few packs of Gems outa the snack machine (800 more), eat some outrageous dinner and then finish it off with cereal or ice cream later... And wonder why I was fat... By eating how I do now, I never get TOO hungry (A trigger point for me).

Your thoughts?

I have hit a goal. YIPEE!!

My weight goals were twofold:
1) go from a tight size 14 to a loose size 8. I HAVE DONE THAT!(I got my first pair of size 8 jeans yesterday!)
2) go from 168 pounds to 135 pounds. I AM ALMOST THERE. Why not stop some might ask? Well, I want a 3 to 5 pound buffer or, as My Hunny likes to say, a weight box. The weight box is the zone I can safely stay within. So, if I want to pig out at a party and I am 135, I have the room to do so. However, if I am 138 I won't be pigging out at a party, I will be calorically lying low.

I am really proud of myself, and extremely grateful to God for the grace He has given me to do this. I would NEVER have been able to do it on my own. I am, notoriously, not one to follow through on much of anything...thus the reason I unschool (LOL). Up until my mom's death, I was between 135-140. I never thought about what I was eating and didn't exercise. But the depression that sank in upon mom's death, and all the craziness going on with Ben, and getting older, just did me in weight-wise. I think it happens to alot of women.

I have learned that I can't eat what I used to. I just don't have the same metabolism. I have learned to have mastery over my appetite (THANKS TO GOD!), and I have developed the discipline (ya like that Lisa B.?) of regular exercise. Thanks to Sparkpeople (see sidebar) for all the past and continued help. Also, I have to say that the way I have lost has been High Carb, High Fiber (mostly complex carbs grains, fruits and veggies) Low Sugar, Low Fat and Low Protein. When researching the way I eat it is reminiscent of the Pritikin Diet, the Rice Diet, & the McDougall Diet and Ornish Diet (though I am not a vegetarian).

My cholesterol is 180, down from 220. My bloodwork is great, my blood pressure is on the low end (though that has always been true) my blood sugar is perfect. What I have been doing has been working, it hasn't always been easy, yet I have not been deprived (saying things like "I can never have ____ again" sabotages many a weight loss program).

I am so psyched and happy....Yeah God!!

Peace,

Some posts

Rachel's post on grains and weight loss.

My post on how to start losing weight...

Any other links or posts that you care to share? :-)

Puke-in-a-bucket workouts

Yep, puke-in-a-bucket workouts. That's what my friends at the VF Video Fitness internet forum call hard workouts, workouts that may push you a little to the edge, that may make you want to puke. Barf. Vomit. Pass out.

Call me masochistic but I love those sort of workouts. Yes, they have a high dread factor for me but, I feel a great sense of accomplishment when the workout is over. I feel like an athlete, like it is so worth the pain.

Yesterday in the post I received Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred - three thirty minute workouts on one DVD. Level 1, 2 and 3 - with 3 being the toughest.

Internet fitness friends tell me these are puke-in-the-bucket workouts - if you do Level 2 or 3 or two or more levels combined.

I was sad last night - I knew I couldn't do these with my current cold/cough/flu. I bemoaned this fact to Greg, when he called from the UK. I knew he'd understand, fellow workout freak that he is.

But today I had a bright idea! A first, I am sure!

Why not do Level 1 but keep it low impact and use lighter weights ( 2 and 3kg - 4 and 6 lbs).

That's what I did! A perfect short but effective workout for when I am not up to par. Might do the same tomorrow with Level 2..and when I am fully recovered from this can't shake it flu, I'll try the workouts high impact. Truly almost throwing up style, I hope!

From the Collage Video website, where this DVD is rated as advanced -

Three well-structured aero/tone interval workouts led by “The Biggest Loser” trainer. These fast-paced exercises will keep you burning fat as you sculpt muscle. The programs build in intensity; you can start with the intermediate level and work up to the advanced program (it’s tough! — moves like plyo-lunges and traveling pushups). Each workout has three “cycles.” Each cycle starts with three minutes of multi-muscle and isolated strength training. Then it’s two minutes of non-dancy kickbox and athletic-style cardio. That’s followed by one minute of classic abwork (then — no rest — you’ll immediately start a new cycle). Like on the TV show, Jillian is both demanding and supportive .

Three cycles plus a warm up and a cool down, in each workout. And the workouts build in intensity. Who could ask for more??

Doing the cha-cha

I've been thinking about you all and even did a marathon read one day to catch up with everyone by reading your posts. :)

For my workouts lately, I have a new friend who will walk with me while our kids play in the middle of the track or I do my TaeBo DVD or I swim laps. There is a new park across the street so I will go over and instead of doing pull-ups, I do controlled drops as an arm workout. Let's just say I'm feeling it! I'm also trying to get back into biking as I have at least one friend who is interested in my triathlon.

I'm trying to get back into the swing with Weight Watchers too, but after a strong start, I had so much of my family come and stay for long enough to make it a burden. I have yet to learn to only eat when I'm hungry so I do the weighing and measuring. I've done it enough that it's easy when life is in it's usual routine.

Rght now with eating and exercise I feel like I'm going a few steps forward and a few steps back and always ending up in the same place.

On the bright side, my weight is not going up. :)

Check in

Hi Leonie and all-- Leonie do you feel you have been talking to yourself? i have been terrible about posting!

But I have been working out at the Y still. My schedule changed so I tried some 6am classes to get my mornings free. OUCH! It was hard at first, but now i love it. I do 6am classes M-Th. I get up at 5, drink coffee and get on the computer, let the dogs out. Then work out, then come home work and do daily life, then lay down at 2pm with an audio book and have a delcious nap. Not bad, actually!

But, I thought of you all today and wanted to share.
Today at my class, the instructor had us on big exercise balls at the wall which is covered with a mirror panel.

So, picture it. We lay on the big ball, facing the mirrored wall. Our feet are on the wall. We have a medicine ball in our hands, over our heads and are doing crunches, at 6:37am.

The view:

I get a great wide-screen panoramic of my inner thighs as I scruntch up in my crunches.

Lovely.

So, I shift my gaze higher (enough of this self-torture) and see my neck. I am lifting the medicine ball in the CRUNCH and with the mirror about 1.5 feet from my face, I see my neck. It has all those wrinkles that the stars get lifted out.. you know that loose-chicken skin?

Sheesh! I nudge the lady next to me who is about my age and a grandmother and show her my view. She laughs, as she has a similar one.

Oh well. Felt great after, but I gotta talk to the instructor. I think we only should be made to do exercises facing away from the mirror at close range.

But I am enjoying the variety. I was doing a lot of step classes, but my knee is hurting. So now I have added in spinning one day a week, and substituing eliptical for my aerobics a couple of times. But I am bonding with the 6am crowd which is fun. There are about 5 guys who come too, which I never had in the the 9am classes. They are a hoot and the instructor today was telling "man stories" about her husband.

Like how he went on a guy's weekend with his buddies and never asked their college friend about the triplets that were born the month before. Spent 4 days with the guy and never even asked. Men!

So, it is a good time.

How are you all doing? Enjoying any particular workouts these days?