Motivation

anyone in the 180's and wanna join me for support? hopefully we'll be able to move down the 170's, 160's and 150's (if you wanna go that far) together!!!

It's so nice to read about all the success people are having here - it really is inspiring.

I have a question, though. Whenever I run, even when I alternate between walking and running, I find I get cramps pretty soon into it. Is there something I can do (or not do) to avoid this? Anyone who had the same problem?

I've been doing yoga from a series they have on FitTV, and I must say I absolutely love it. It's not a hardcore workout or anything, but it's just so much fun.

Also, I'm 16, turning 17 in January and am moving out to go to college (graduating early) this year. It's not too early for everyone, some people can do it and some can't. :)

iamvictorious~ Welcome to the group!!  :D

newlook08~ Welcome back, and thanks!!  :D

Wendy~ Way to go on your exercise, you rock!  I'm currently getting prepared to do some Wii Fit and hopefully try out the week 2 of the Couch to 5k tonight.  :)

kiteofnight~ Last night when I ran I did get a few cramps in my right side... wasn't sure if I was sore or what.  I had eaten not long before though, so maybe that had something to do with it.  I'm with you on the yoga... I love it.  It does help with balance and some toning though, especially if you do it daily.  :)

Welcome to the group everyone who's new!!  I have actually been exercising more which is great!  I rode my bike three times this week which is HUGE for me.  Tomorrow I do Total Gym. (I managed to do that once last week too)  I have been doing situps almost every day, but that isn't cuttin it.  My husband has started working out with a neighbor and is really motivated now.  That helps tremendously!!!  I have no idea how much I weigh because my husband has hidden the scale from me for a month.  I can't weigh in until Sept 5!!  I am pretty obsessive about weighing once maybe even several times a day, so it is for my own good.    Good luck to everyone here, and even if I am not posting, I am looking every day to check on everyones progress!

ladyelizabeth~ Great job on the exercise!!  I wish I had a bike to ride, I think it'd be fun.  I can't believe your husband hid the scale from you, lol!  I'd go nuts if mine did that to me, but I'm not too obsessive about it.  I usually only weigh myself once, maybe twice a week.  Every day is pretty excessive, so I guess it was for your own good.   Now you can just focus on working extra hard so that you have an awesome weigh-in Sept 5th.  :D

I did Wii Fit for about an hour and fifteen minutes earlier... all the strength training, yoga, and some boxing and basic step.  I challenged the "trainer" on the jackknifes and beat her, lol.  :D  Getting ready to try out week 2 of the Couch to 5k... hopefully I won't need an ambulance!  :D

Me again... just got off the treadmill.  Finished the week 2 (first session) of the Couch to 5k and I'm still alive.... no heart attack or anything although I thought I might have one once or twice.  I'm trying so hard, but running is just not my thing... I finished it and feel good about doing it, but that doesn't mean i have to like it, lol.  So, why AM I doing it??  Well... I guess because I hate running and I wanted to challenge myself, hoping that maybe I can eventually make a lean runner out of myself.  I feel so out of shape and awkward when I run.

Hi all - a week into new GI eating and some hard gym sessions.

Hurrah - 180.5  - 1.5lbs lower than last week :-)

Come on 179 for next week (please.......)

Good for you K9 on the treadmill - am not brave enough for that at the gym yet - can only just cope seeing myself bright red in the face from fast walking!

Hi everyone!

I took the day off yesterday from exercise- didnt do my run either.. I think its catching up with me.. I sat and read magazines for quite awhile waiting for the kids at the dentist, then went to the grocery store and pharmacy, and then came home and made lunch, cleaned house, and putzed around on the computer.. just didnt feel like doing much after that.  2 of the kids had cavities, and my oldest needs sealants put on his back teeth, so I had to go back to the dentist this morning, and also a couple more times next week! blah.

kiteofnight, I think if you make sure and drink plenty before you run you can avoid the side aches.. wow, and good for you, graduating early! What are you going to school for?

k9, thanks! i was pretty lazy yesterday though, and still trying to talk myself into getting going here.. Great job on your runs! I know what you mean, there are times when I am out there and i feel I wont make another step, but somehow I plod on through.. have you tried running outside at all? I really thought I would hate it, but it is so refreshing! I like to run just as its getting dark, and it gets a little cooler out. 

ladyelizabeth, great job! What is Total Gym? lol about your hubby hiding your scale. I usually weigh several times a day too, but I like to learn how my body flucuates.. i dont think i really obsess about the numbers too much.. It is nice to see when it goes down though!

newlook, congrats on your loss! I bet you'll be seeing 170's anytime now, especially with the new routine!

I just ordered myself a new pair of running shoes last night.. i did a little research on running and shoes and i think my sore hips and shins might improve with the right kind of shoes.. I have very flat and wide feet, so I am going to try some motion control shoes. I ordered the asics gel foundation 8 from  runnerswarehouse.com.. I think thats what it was....i dont think they are fabulous looking shoes by any means, but if they help with the pains thats whats important.. and if they dont fit right they have free return shipping too.  I'll let you know how they work out.

well, have a great weekend everyone!

newlook08~  Hey, congrats on the 180.5!!!  A loss of 1.5 lbs/week is awesome, good for you!  I bet you're feeling great about it, as you should.  I'm nervous about going on the scale lately... is so much harder to just lose those last few pounds.  I've bumped up my exercise lately, but I don't feel much difference...

On another note... I've been experiencing quite a few dizzy spells lately.  Anyone else have any problems with this?  It's been going on for the last week or two and I'm assuming it's from lack of sleep (I have difficulty sleeping lately).  I keep trying to increase my sleep, but I'm not too successful at that... seems I can't get to bed early enough because I'm exercising or busy with something else.  Otherwise, when I am in bed I don't feel real tired and have trouble falling asleep.  I've tried using Unisom and it worked a couple times, but I don't want to have to take it every night.  I've also tried Sleepy Time tea, but it didn't do anything for me.  My other thought is that maybe I'm not eating enough?  How much do you all eat per day?  I know we're all different weights/heights/ages/activity levels, but I'm not sure how much I should be eating anymore.  I'm 27 years old, about 5'7" and somewhere around 139 pounds or so.  I'm considered light activity level (active at work) and try to exercise daily doing Wii Fit for 30-60 minutes usually, and training to run about 3-4 days a week about 30 minutes or so.  I usually eat about 1300-1400 calories/day.  If I'm not very active during the day and don't exercise I'll eat about 1200, and if crazy busy, I'll eat almost 1500 or so.  Any thoughts, anyone??  Not sure if my dizziness is due to diet or sleep or if I have something medically wrong with me...  My husband says I should go to the doctor, but I refuse to (hate going to doctor).  I'll try correcting my eating or sleep first and see if the dizziness goes away... if not, I'll go to the doctor.

Wendy~ I hate going to the dentist, lol.  Sitting around and reading magazines sounds great... relaxing.  The new running shoes sound great!  Let me know how you like them.  I haven't tried running outside at all mostly because I don't have an ipod and because I'm afraid to run alone.  Lots of women have been getting attacked lately (Orlando mostly) by men trying to drag them into the shrubs.  One was murdered, but I think most of the others got away.  It's scary though and makes me nervous. 

Oh!  Where have I been?

Hello, all.  Still at 160, which isn't bad, considering I just got back from vacation and am about to start my period.  I hope to lose much more as I prepare dinner tonight (yay!).  Stir fry with beef this time.

Hi ladies..

k9, yikes, about the attacks in your area---I'd probably avoid being out too. That is scary. I am excited about the new shoes.. I hope it dont take too long to get them. How long have you been experiencing the dizzy spells and insomnia? Might not be a bad idea to get it checked out- better safe than sorry! Maybe try checking out webmd.com-- you can enter in your symptoms and it can give you a list of possible causes.. then that can help you decide if you need to get to the doc...  I can tell you with your sleeplessness, you should start limiting your activities a good hour or two before bedtime, and have some quiet time, maybe reading or a bath, meditation, .. not tv, which causes more brain stimulation and can keep you awake.. if still have trouble, I would seek a doc for advice/meds-- my hubby has insomnia alot, and his doc says over-the-counter sleep meds arent all that effective.  As far as eating, how much is your burn meter saying after you've entered all your extra activity? As active as your job sounds, you might even be moderately active instead of light. Your deficit shouldnt exceed 500-700 while you are trying to lose weight...so maybe you do need to be eating more? depends on how much you are burning.. hope i could help a little anyway..

hi leopardrayne! hope you had a nice vacation, and good for you staying on track! I wish I was that good when I am on vacation.. your dinner sounds good too..mmm..

Wendy~ Luckily I don't live right in Orlando, so my area is a little bit safer, but I worry still.  My husband thinks I'll be okay running some outside, so I may try it, but be careful of where I'm going.  We're looking into buying me an ipod so I can listen to the podcasts.  :D  I've been having the dizzy spells and insomnia for almost two weeks.  You're right, I should limit my activity before bedtime... I'm notorious for exercising not long before I go to bed, so I'm sure that doesn't help.  My burn meter says I burn 1960 calories/day.  I usually do not add in my activities since it varies so much.  Some days I work all day, and other days I only work for a few hours, so I really don't have an accurate idea of what I actually burn.  For my run today the treadmill says I burned 314 calories... not sure how much the Wii Fit burns.  I also walk the dog a little (short walks because of her healing knee).  I'm afraid to up the calories too much... I'm trying so hard to lose these last few pounds.  My mom told me today she thinks I'm being "too obsessive" about it.... maybe I am.

k9, Defineately get an ipod.. it is so worth it.. and you can listen to it for more than just the podcasts.. if you know anyone who already has an ipod, ask if they will let you download their songs when you get one, that way it wont cost any to start off your music collection- also, if you have any music cds, you can load those on there too- it is so cool! i also bought an armband for it when I run, so I just strap it on to my arm..works out pretty slick. I'm pretty sure you can download the podcasts on other mp3 players too if you want something other than the ipod. i just love mine. .. As far as running outside, maybe you could talk your hubby into running with you! ;)  I know mine wouldnt.. but when I asked him, he said he would consider getting rollerblades and going with me. .lol..

you should try entering your activities the best you can for about a week or 2 and see what it says you burn.. I bet you are burning way more than 1960!  You could even change yourself to 'sedentary' and then enter everything you do..that way you could really get a better picture of how much you are actually burning.. for the wii fit, I enter the yoga as 'hatha yoga' which is what comes up when I enter 'yoga' in the search area.. and the strengh as 'calistenics, heavy effort' , and the aerobics as 'aerobics, low impact'. and I dont really enter the balance games.. but enter everything, from driving the car, to shopping, sitting at the computer, cooking, watching tv, eating, cleaning house, laundry, etc, etc, etc,...though it may become quite a tedious task, trying to enter all your activity! but, it would give you a better idea as to how much you need to eat. 

Really, though, at least enter your dizziness and insomnia at the webmd.com symptom checker.. might give you some things you havent thought about and might want to get checked out..  Sorry, I know its the mom in me, but I get worried about health-things like that.. please dont let it go too long before checking out with your doc, if you dont see improvement soon..k?

Alright, time to head out for the run.. have a great night everyone!

This morning i was back down to 159, which means I'm one more pound away from my pre-vacation weight.

K9 --> I just moved from a safe area to Raleigh, NC, but it doesn't seem like there's much of a problem during the day.  I hope it's like that for you too.  My walk is usually to the Food Lion or the Goodwill.  Food Lion is 0.9 miles from the apartment, and Goodwill is more like 1.5 miles.  Goodwill is more tiring not just because it's further, but I tend to overshop over there.

For all talking about deficits --> I'm keeping a consistent 900 deficit, sometimes up to 1100 (although it's not purposeful when I do that).  Works for me, as long as I don't get distracted by brownies and cookies (a.k.a. most of the mixes in the refrigerator).

Oh!  Oh!  Good news!  I saw my ex and he complimented me on my weight loss.  I didn't piss him off, but I'm still satisfied with myself for making him want what he can't have.  40 pounds is a big number, and he says I look good.  And he mentioned to my sister that she had gained weight.  that makes me laugh, and it makes my job easier.  Now that I'm as far down as I am, part of me wants to weigh less than my sister.  She's 140 right now, and I'm 158.  It can be done!  I think my BMI is lower than hers.  She's 4'11", I think.  4'10", maybe.  I have to look it up.  That would be interesting.  She's muscular, though.  So maybe it's a different thing.  *shrugs*

Wendy~ I just went out and bought and ipod Shuffle, it's awesome!  My husband is playing with it right now on the other computer... he loves any new "toys", lol.  I'm excited to try it out when I run.  I actually was able to sleep last night except for the cat waking me up twice...  I feel better and not quite as dizzy today.  I did take your advice and go to the webmd site and look up the dizziness.  It doesn't sound like anything serious... it can be casued by stress, which is probably what my problem is.  I've had stress-related issues in the past (heart palipitations), so that's the most likely culprit.  Probably also causing me to have trouble sleeping on occasion, which in turn causes more dizziness.  Thanks for worrying about me though!  :D  My mom was all worried about it too.  She lives in WI and hasn't seen me in over a year at least... she keeps asking me if I'm taking care of myself and eating healthy.

Leo~ I don't think it'll be too bad if I run during the day on some of the back streets... they're pretty quiet and peaceful.  My husband and I took the dog for a walk together earlier and I got honked at, which pissed my husband off, lol.  He said some people have no shame... he couldn't belive they'd honk at me with him right there.  :D  Congrats on making your ex jealous!  I bet it makes you feel good that he noticed your weight loss.  And yes, I would say that you could definitely weight less than 140 if you want to, it can be done!  You can do anything you put your mind to!

hi all!

k9, i'm glad to hear you are feeling better! and yay on your ipod! You will love it, wonder how you ever ran without it! I went for a 4 mile walk/run last night, and o i am sore.. I really hope i get those new shoes soon. I looked up some info about running injuries and its possible all of the pain could be caused by improper shoes. Right now its my left hip, and my shins that are bothering me most.. my knees twinge a little, but not bad.  If the shoes dont help much, and a little extra rest, I will go to a doctor.. I also read that pain in one hip can be from uneven legs or pelvis, in which case it can be corrected with orthotics or heel lifts.. I broke my right leg (tibula, i think.. the smaller bone in the lower part) 4 years ago and had a plate put in. I fell off the roof hanging x-mas lights, and landed on my feet, falling forward onto my hands and knees. I wonder if that impact could have distorted my pelvis or joints somehow? or maybe the surgeon didnt do such a good job aligning my broken leg when putting in the plate... either way, its very possible i could have uneven legs or pelvis..  I didnt run tonight, or exercise much today for that matter, so i hope i will feel better tomorrow.

Leo, that must have been so wonderful getting the compliments from your ex! 40 lbs is big.. congrats!  and even if you dont get under 140, which I bet you could, you will probably look more slender than your sis.. didnt you say you are 5'3"? and she's only 4'10"-11".. ,, I want to be smaller than my sis too :)  She is 3 years older than me, and we went on a little trip with her family and my folks in  early April.. My mom, sister and me went to a casino, and my sis got carded- and i didnt!  She is about the same height as me, but she is alot slimmer...or was- I am starting to catch up! She probably wears about a size 8, and at that time I was still a 16.. now i am probably closer to a 12.  I would so love to be her size, or better yet, smaller!

My sister's young, but she's trying to lose weight too.  I just want to weigh less than her, not just get to 140.  If she weighs 132 by the time i get to 140, then I want to get to 132.  It's BARELY in the healthy range of BMI, almost in the slightly overweight range.

But... good news is... my BMI is lower than hers.

Wendy~ Thanks! :D I hope you feel better soon! Being sore is just no fun at all! Maybe you should rest up and take it easy until your new shoes arrive. Hopefully they'll help.

Leo~ Yay, for a lower BMI! I'm sure you can weigh less than your sister, and you'll look better too because as Wendy pointed out, you're taller than her too. :D

Hoping to go to the beach for a little while this morning.  We have dinner plans tonight, it's a friend's birthday and we're going to Kobe Japanese Steakhouse.  I've never been there, but I've heard it's good.  :D

Hi everyone!  Been resting lately, trying to ease my back and leg pain. It's been flaring up the past few days and it's no fun.

Weight is at 173 lbs. So I'm glad to see that I've not gained anything from no exercise and just laying in bed.

Wendy ~ You're getting close to your sister's size! Won't be much longer before you're there!

Leo ~ I bet that made your day that your ex noticed your weight loss. Keep it up!

 

Hi all.

Sounds like you're all doing really well. Been busy this wkend but fitted in a 5km walk yesterday (dragging my boyf with me!) plus a swim today. Phew! Eaten rather a large roast chicken dinner to compensate. Backto the gym 2moro. Fingers crossed for under 180 on Friday.