Healthy Living and Exercise thread

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

[quote name='Nichole' post='1753857' date='Apr 13 2009, 18.45']Ugh, sorry if this is TMI for some guys but I'm battling hormones right now. It sucks that I am going along fine, eating right, exercising, and then bam! I just want to eat, eat, eat! I had to run out and get some snacks this morning, I thought I was going to starve. I'm heading to the store after work to get healthy snacks for tomorrow, but right now, I'm too hungry to work out when I get home. I hate this! :mad:

Seventh, I understand the frustration, it sucks loosing out of your boobs right away. I wish I could make it come out of my tummy and thigh and keep the weight in my boobs.[/quote]

Having started my change, I am now having issues every other week.

PMS a week, menstrate a week, a week free and then start all over again. Now with the digestive issues, if I don't eat I get sick, and everytime I do it, I get pains. Not much fun.

Even still, I have managed to lose another two pounds. Down 7 all together, I just wish I didn't have so many other issues that I let distract me.

I will get to see how much weight loss comes with a colan cleanse next month though :ack:


I have always heard it said that women gain weight from the bottom up, and lose it from the top down. Very sad, indeed.

[Minaku]

A lot of hunger can be attributed to dehydration if you're not used to drinking a lot every day, so when you get hungry, reach for the water bottle first and see if that assuages the hunger. If not, you have the go ahead to eat something. Pre-pregnancy my snacks were lowfat yogurt with about 15 almonds, and in the fall I'd add a crisp apple. Although I love dried fruit, that shit is the [i]devil[/i]. Eat fresh fruit instead. Trail mix with nuts, some raisins or craisins, and oat clusters sounds pretty good as well. Really the idea is to eat something that will burn for a long time, so that would be a complex carb coupled with some fat and lean protein. (I use EAS high-protein protein shakes as a snack and... well, it's a good thing I liked Yoohoo! as a kid, because the dark chocolate stuff tastes like Yoohoo! with a soy kick.)

Stay strong, ladies! Chicken breast and broccoli and sweet potatoes for all!

Edit: As for my boob growth, I am likely to hit DD soon and move past it during the last trimester or during nursing. What.

[Iskaral Pust]

What's with the thread title again? This should be the "working out" or "getting fit" thread. "Weight loss/Dieting" has so much negative energy. It's the equivalent in [i]feng shui[/i] of being right on the dragon's testicle.

[Lucky Pierre]

I have not marinated veggies.. but for quick/easy I usually will make up some Quinoa or some Texmati Red beans and rice (lower carbs, higher fiber) and keep in on hand. For lunch I'll throw some frozen veggies in a pan with some low sodium chicken broth, add some dry, fat free sun dried tomatoes after the veggies have cooked a little and the chicken broth is mostly gone-then throw in the rice/quinoa toss it around, add some low sodium soy sauce, sizzle toss and serve. Takes less than 10 minutes and it's really, really good! You can do this in the morning-then take it to work and heat it up quickly. If you want you can add chicken and make it a full on meal.

:)

[Lucky Pierre]

I didn't realize this was the new exercise thread too...

Anyway-I got back to lifting this morning and it felt great! Was the best part of an otherwise shit filled day.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

[quote name='Iskaral Pust' post='1753916' date='Apr 13 2009, 19.51']What's with the thread title again? This should be the "working out" or "getting fit" thread. "Weight loss/Dieting" has so much negative energy. It's the equivalent in [i]feng shui[/i] of being right on the dragon's testicle.[/quote]

Honestly: because the "working out and getting fit" discussions totally depress me. Some of us are striving to do our thirty minutes a day and to hear people complaining about being too skinny, their elective surgeries, and all the amazing awesome things they have done really make me feel like I am failing no matter how hard I try.

I was hoping there would be a seperate thread for those who are fit and working to stay that way.

Sorry, it's been a tough week. I shouldn't take so many days off if I am staying at home. :(

[Roose Bolton]

Pushups- good for general upper body strength
Pullups- Good for back/shoulders (hard to do at first, try to make it to 30 pushups first)
Situps/crunches - Great for getting rid of stomach flubber and getting nice looking abs, which is a major factor in looking good
Jogging - Great for calorie burning and endurance (more so over rough terrain)

Dieting- Eat more vegetables, water, and try wheat bread/pasta instead of white, deli meats are high in protein and very low in fat and carbs.

[Tears of Lys]

This may have been said many times in past threads, but being well-rested makes all the difference when losing weight. A tired person tends to eat more and exercise less. Get a few good nights' sleep before attempting a program.

For the first time in my life, I'm having to lose a few pounds. Several physical injuries have thrown a monkey wrench into my usual exercise program. I'm going to try to take my own advice now. :P

[ztemhead]

[quote name='Tears of Lys' post='1754059' date='Apr 13 2009, 19.41']This may have been said many times in past threads, but being well-rested makes all the difference when losing weight. A tired person tends to eat more and exercise less. Get a few good nights' sleep before attempting a program.[/quote]
word. hence my fish fillet contretemps the other morning...

tommorrow we exercise. tonight we drink.

[Lord of Oop North]

So ... I took a strike from my lacrosse stick just above my knee and I think I'm down for the week. Hopefully there is no damage, because it's on my bad knee.

Previously, I'd been on a really great three to four weeks, with a ton of progress. Basically, I've been doing pushups, situps, box jumps, twists, squats, pullups, dips, lunges, and a host of other regular exercises. I like to change it up a lot, and don't really like machines. I figure you can do everything with some weights, and a little imagination. I've done a little bit of jogging, but the cold weather really works against me there. I'm also not much of a runner. I prefer to walk really long distances (backpacking). Oh well. I don't have a weightlifting set at home, besides a few dumb-bells, a medicine ball and some kettlebells, but I'm looking into getting a squat rack, a bar, and plates. Hopefully soon. Access to the gym has been a bit iffy for me, so I haven't done much weightlifting. Hence my focus on exercises like pullups, dips, and pushups.

Anyway ... I don't really post in these threads much, but I think I'm going to make an better effort. Feel free to call me names to motivate me. I love that.

ETA: Wait, this [i]won't[/i] be the exercise thread, then? Sorry.

[Centrist Simon Steele]

I got a question for you super smart types. I weigh 210 pounds at 6 feet, am 29 years old, and not the guy I used to be. But I plan on being more than the guy I used to be. My question is how do I achieve this without having a massive coronary on the treadmill?

[Ocean of Notions]

I've noticed my trousers not fitting as well as they should these days. I've started going back to the gym. Boy am I out of shape. I recommend excercising with a buddy. It definitely helps to keep me motivated and on schedule. You [i]have[/i] to go when someone else is waiting for you! And it's so much less intimidating if you tackle it together. As for food, I tend to eat a pretty healthy diet already. However, today I was bad and baked. I wonder how that chocolate muffins would go heated and with ice cream... (okay, that's a bad thought. ;))

[Callum]

SS, if you dont mind using the treadmill, you can build yourself up to it.

There's the [url="http://www.c25k.com/"]Couch to 5k[/url] program, which gradually build you up to running lots. I started on it, but didn't get around to doing it regularly, so can't comment on it too much. A google search should yield a whole bunch of similar things.

I'm looking a bit better than I was before, and I've lost some fat from around from my face. As a result, my neck is a bit flabby andwhen i look down i can nearly lose my chin :P Anyone got any suggestions for tightening up skin?

[Centrist Simon Steele]

I like the treadmill because I feel like I really did a lot of good after I'm done working out, but at the same time, my weight does cause some joint pain. I'd love to run outside but I always get shin splints early on, so I'm hoping I can build up on a tread mill then move to outdoor running.

Trisk--thanks for the info. I hope this doesn't kill me.

[seastarr]

I made a separate exercise thread a while back, but it didn't really take off, and I recall there was a fair bit of grumpiness about it all.

That said, I really hate even going into the weight loss thread, but talking about exercise always lures me back. I'd love to see the exercise thread resurrected or made anew. I'd like to discuss exercise in a more integral way--not just lifting weights and putting in time on the treadmill, but ways to exercise to enliven the body and spirit, like how to exercise for FUN and PLAY and JOY. Think little kids at recess, or a dog with a frisbee.

My personal philosophy after years of weekly weigh-ins that did nothing but plague my mind is: throw out the scale. Live to embody health. No number is going to tell you how to do that. Appreciate your body for its function and develop that function to the best of your ability. Stay pain-free and supple. It's actually that simple.

Check out some of my [url="http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6441/bridgex.jpg"]favorite[/url] [url="http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2666/snake2y.jpg"]exercise[/url] [url="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3420/img0696o.jpg"]toys[/url]!

[seastarr]

[quote name='Triskele' post='1754139' date='Apr 13 2009, 21.58']Those pictures frightened me. Are you some kind of Pilates dominatrix?[/quote]


Ummmmm....yes. :whip: Now get in your stirrups. ;)

[Angalin]

seastarr, are you Gwyneth Paltrow slumming it? ;)

I've only done Pilates mat work; does the reformer do anything for you that you can't get with the mat?

[seastarr]

The mat is awesome and might be my favorite, just for its elegance and simplicity. When I do it on my own, I like to jam through it fast and try to finish the whole advanced sequence in 40 minutes. But the reformer, and all the other equipment, is great, too. The equipment teaches you how to approach movement through isometric contractions and agile strength, and gives you support and resistance so you can work towards uniform development. It can also offer extreme challenge and acrobatic opportunites that you can't really do on the floor. It's all complementary. I'd hate to have separate it and only do one part of the Method. Each piece of equipment is brilliant. Mr. Pilates was ahead of his time, and he designed a beautiful, intuitive system that really can be done by just about anyone.

So, if you have the opportunity, give the reformer a try. You'll probably like it.

[Minaku]

[quote name='Lany Cassandra' post='1754004' date='Apr 13 2009, 21.40']Honestly: because the "working out and getting fit" discussions totally depress me. Some of us are striving to do our thirty minutes a day and to hear people complaining about being too skinny, their elective surgeries, and all the amazing awesome things they have done really make me feel like I am failing no matter how hard I try.

I was hoping there would be a seperate thread for those who are fit and working to stay that way.

Sorry, it's been a tough week. I shouldn't take so many days off if I am staying at home. :([/quote]

Personally, I have been through the weight loss and getting fit thing at least twice with significant results, and I know how hard it is. I know how easy it is to fall off the wagon and how difficult it is to get back on, and how much willpower you need to keep punishing yourself daily (it is true that working out is best done with a large dose of self-loathing, because otherwise you will never get yourself to max out on the goddamn tricep curl machine). Even though I am physically unable to lose weight or do any hard exercise I'm still participating because I want to encourage you guys. I will be back posting about what I am doing to keep myself alive longer as soon as I am able.

However, hearing your opinion has now made me depressed. Are success and failure stories not allowed? We're supposed to be supportive and encourage each other on the thread. My physical appearance did not come through magical easy living and I hopefully have made it clear that it definitely did not happen that way. So please don't look at posters who are more fit or leaner and think about them negatively. [i]This shit is hard work[/i]. I busted my ass for a half hour to an hour and a half [i]six days a week for months[/i] in order to lose the amount of weight I did (along with a very strict clean diet that made me quite unhappy because I enjoy eating). I even had to do it twice, because clearly I didn't get punished enough the first time. Don't make other people who have done the same thing feel down for what is rightly thought of as an accomplishment.

Getting off your ass and doing something active no matter what your level of fitness or leanness is something to be admired. It's hard work, plain and simple. Don't be a Debbie Downer about it.



Seastarr, you make me miss Pilates a lot! I can't wait to start it up again. Angalin, the reformer is amazing. Maybe it's because I love lifting and really pushing my body (it's not a good Pilates session unless you're sweating through your clothes!) but the reformer took the mat work to another level. The teaser isn't too bad on the floor. Now, take it to the reformer where you're doing the teaser with added extra resistance through the hand straps. Dayum!

The Cadillac is pretty decent, and I love the chair. Overall, I feel like my Pilates workout is enhanced 150% through the machines.

[LugaJetboyGirl]

Well this thread has gotten really depressing. Now I'm bummed out and feel lame in general. Can we bring some levity and supportiveness back?

I'm with Seastarr. I've tried the gym on too many occasions, I even took jogging and weight lifting courses through the university. None of it worked for me because it felt like a job or work and I felt too much guilt about it. So that's why I'm interested in getting fit and doing exercise that's actually fun and makes you feel like you are doing something worthwhile and constructive with your time. I like to do healthy activities that enable me to learn new things or just spend time with other people, playing games.

I don't know how much you guys are into the 'public' getting fit, but www.meetup.com has a crap ton of groups and clubs: hiking groups, walking around the lake groups, bike riding...there's even [url="http://weightloss.meetup.com/1009/"]weight loss groups[/url]. Meeting new people who are in the same boat as you really helps - I really like the whole 'meetup' vibe.' Other people help because if it's not fun in some way, then I lose interest quick and end up giving up completely because I hate it and feel bad about myself.

Ok, I'm done with that. So, back to keeping track of my progress. Yesterday I went hiking for 1 1/2 hours on the hill-park behind my house. The wild flowers were beautiful and the views of the city were great. I even found a ginormous gorge/ravine that I had no idea was there. The only downer was when I ran into a nettle bush. Robin Hobb's Molly Chandler said nettles suck, but I've discovered it's one thing to read about something and an entirely different thing to have one whole side of your body feeling like it'd been poisoned just because you accidently took the wrong step.

I'm pretty sore from the hiking but mostly from the football on Sunday (my arm feels like the dead arm of a corpse), so last night I iced my pains and today is my Take-The-Day-Off day. And I bought a 6-pack of Pepsi.

edit: bad english