Re: Body for Life
 

I have that book too.

I didn't do the diet plan because I wanted to modify my own diet- making sure that I could maintain the healthy changes that I would make. I DID eat 6 meals a day though- and let me tell you it made ALL THE DIFFERENCE! When you eat six times a day, you are never really hungry, so it is MUCH easier to avoid the things you shouldn't be eating, and be healthy about what you do eat. Plus, I tried one of their supplement bars and it was AWFUL. I have never tasted anything so horrible! Pass the Slimfast shake please!

I didn't really use his exercise program either, I had to do a LOT more cardio to lose my fat, and I prefer two days of full body weights, no wasting my time.

Body For Life was a great starting off point though.

I do alot of walking too. I have lost a couple of lbs. also. I love to walk. It's so relaxing. I 'm looking to do more upper body conditioning. I just started using my 3 pound weights yesterday:p I'll see how that goes.:)

Not surprising, but FYI
 

Found this on msn.com.


Americans Becoming Fatter, Faster

Black Women, Hispanic Men Have Highest Risk of Obesity
By Jennifer Warner


June 17, 2002 -- American's aren't just piling on the extra pounds, they're piling them on faster and younger than ever before. A new report shows twice as many people were obese in 1999 than in the early 1960s, and people born in 1964 became obese up to 28% faster than those born only seven years earlier.


It's one of the first studies to take a long-term look at what makes some people more likely to become overweight than others and highlights major differences between ethnic groups, age groups, and the sexes.


"Our study clarifies who is at risk for obesity, identifies an age when this risk is particularly high, and looks at how excess weight develops over time," says study author Kathleen M. McTigue, MD, MPH, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in a news release.


For nearly two decades, McTigue and colleagues followed more than 9,000 men and women who were born between 1957 and 1964. Their findings are published in the June 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.


They found 27% of the people were obese by 1999, and 61% weighed more than is considered healthy. That's more than double the number of people who were obese in 1960-1962, and a 20% increase in the number of overweight Americans compared with nearly 40 years ago.




The study also found obesity developed most quickly in black women, moderately quickly in Hispanic women, and most slowly in white women. Black and Hispanic women also became overweight faster than white women, reaching overweight status in their mid to late 20s compared with mid-30s among white women.


"We could predict who would be obese at 35 to 37, based on sex, race/ethnicity, and body mass index at [age] 20 to 22," says McTigue. "This was especially striking in women. A 21-year-old woman with just a few extra pounds was quite likely to be obese by the time she was in her mid-30s."


Among men, the pattern was a little different. Hispanic men became obese most quickly compared with other groups.


The researchers say their study shows that young people who are overweight are most at risk of becoming obese as they grow older and prevention efforts should be targeted at this age group to avoid future health problems. Obesity increases a person's risk of four out of the six top causes of death in the U.S. -- heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, and diabetes.


In an editorial that accompanies the study, Robert C. Whitaker, MD, MPH, of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, says future studies should explore other factors that might affect a person's risk of becoming obese, beyond race and ethnicity.


We must try to understand how other factors, such as neighborhood setting and family customs, influence diet and activity patterns, according to Whitaker.


"In our culture, all adults and children are at risk for obesity and must act to avoid it," Whitaker concludes. "Moderation is not a virtue that we easily apply to such activities as feeding and eating -- activities that give us and our loved ones so much joy."


© 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

*BUMP*

Okay, so I've been doing the gym thing for a little over a month now, but I'm still not sure if I'm doing this right. I'll usually do 40 minutes of cardio on the treadmill or stationary bike and about 20 minutes of weight training.

My question is what kind of weight training am I supposed to be doing, specifically? Free weights? Those Cybex machines? Does anybody know what I need to be doing? In general terms, of course.

Is there someone at the gym (a staff person, trainer) who you could talk to? My job has a fitness center and I got an evaluation when I first joined and he walked me through the weight machines and told me what each one does…

As far as free weights vs. the machine, when I’m on my own, I’ll use the machines, but I also take a spin/circuit class and the instructor has us on the machines and using dumbbells for drills.

I believe that either the machines or the free weights will accomplish the same thing. I prefer the machines…If you’re trying to do as many muscle groups as you can on one machine, then the leg press will take care of your lower body and the chin/pull will take care of the upper. Let me know if you want to target a certain area, maybe I could point you in the right direction. Hope this helps…
:)

I am happy for you two Poplife and Wonderful08, and for everyone else who is striving to achieve their weight goal. I too was a 14, my stomach was sooo BIG I had to wear all of my shirts out side my pants and sometimes wear some of my pants unbuttoned. With a new way of eating, substitution and discipline, I came down from 165 to 147. I am still striving to get my weight down to 140 and maintain it. :D

If you think about using some type of diet pill, PLEASE stay away from anything that has Efedrin in it! It speeds up your metabolism but I have heard from soo many people that it speeds up your heart rate and could cause heart attacks!

Re: Body for Life
 

Well, it's been how long? I think I posted this back in June. Well, I'm starting the Body for Life program again. Here is my progress:

Weight: I lost 26lbs and kept it off.
Inches: I lost a total of 12 inches off of my bust, waist, hips, thighs, and upper arms. I gained 1/2 an inch in my calves. I went from a size 20 (some stuff was a 22 :o) to a size 16.

I used to wear all of my shirts outside my pants, too. I am JUST now starting to get used to tucking them in. It was a definite change for me, because I was still so self-conscious about my stomach. I do have a new sense of self-confidence, and I am happy with my weight loss, but I know I'm not where I need to be.

I've decided to start back up again. I am going to do the BFL exercise routine again along with the Weight Watchers point system. It's still hard for me to eat 6 times a day, but I am going to try to do it this time. I'm going to prepare my meals at the beginning of the week so that I can just reach in the fridge and grab what I need. I started working out again on Monday. I found a gym that is relatively cheap. And I went to an aerobics class to day and I totally enjoyed it!! The instructor was SO motivating! Even though she thoroughly kicked our tails, I'll be in her class every week.

I'm still keeping my weight loss journal. I keep a log of my exercises and what I eat each day. I also include my current weight and measurements and my goals. I need to take another BEFORE picture. *sigh* I really don't want to, but I can compare it to the last one that I took, as well as to the AFTER picture that I will take in July.

My new goal: a size 12 by July. I will NOT have heart disease!!! I wil NOT be a diabetic!!! I WILL be healthy!!! :D

Good luck, everyone!! No pain, no gain!!! :)

Me Too!
 

I registered Monday on www.bodyforlife.com for the 2003 Challenge! I am excited and will let y'all know how it goes! :D

EDITTED:

For those that are interested in losing weight, interval training IS the key. 3 times a week I do 20 min. on the treadmill and 20 minutes if weights (using different machines) and have notices a significant difference.

ephedra, when used properly can aid weight loss. But the problem is the effect it has with people who have previous heart conditions. A LOT of people have themand aren't even aware of it and THAT is when you get into trouble.

Talk to a doctor about it if you are going to use it.

Re: Me Too!
 

Congratulations!

I bought the BFL book and started doing the program a looooong time ago. It is a really great place to start, and introduces so many people to the importance of resistance training that it's a really positive force

I'm very lazy when it comes to exercise, even though I try...well sometimes. I lost weight without exercising by changing my eating habits. Just think how much weight I would lose if I added a consistent exercise regimen. This is what I did.

1. Buy a George Foreman grill and a steamer. Cook ALL your foods by grilling, steaming, or boiling. Cut down or eliminate the beef in your diet. Eat fish, chicken, and pork...yes I said pork. You would be surprised how low fat pork can be when grilled. Purchase a pork loin and slice it thin.

2. Eat salads and/or vegetables with every meal. You don't have to buy low fat dressing, just cut down on the amount of dressing you put on your salads.

3. Drink water everyday.

4. Eat baked potatoes. It makes you feel fuller through meals but eat a small one. If you love butter, only add a very small amount.

5. Buy fruit. When you want a snack, no matter what time it is, fruit is always the way to go. My preference is grapes, so when I get hungry I can grab a few and be done with it. It also satisfies your sweet tooth.

6. Buy 100% fruit juice. My preference is Ocean Spray Cran-Grape.

7. Don't eat anything heavy after 6. Only satisfy your cravings with fruit or a small glass of 100% fruit juice.

8. When you eat, eat half and then get up and do something else. Stay away from your food for a few mins, then come back to it and start eating again. Trust me you won't have that same desire you did before you left your food.

9. Park your car at the end of the lot and walk.

10. Eat until you are no longer hungry, not full, but no longer hungry, there's a difference.

Try to eat this way for 5 out of the 7 days. On the weekends, eat anything you like but Monday, start back eating grilled, steamed, and boiled foods only. Being able to eat anything you like on the weekends doesn't give you a feeling of deprivation throughout the week.

You can lose about 1-1 1/2 lbs a week which is safe. Also make sure to take a multivitamin.

DITTO!!

Congrats, HK1974! :)

Good points, but a couple of comments (from the queen of dieting information with no willpower! LOL)

A good way to get the creamy fattening dressing that you love is to get it on the side, then dip your fork in the dressing first, then spear your salad. That way you gett a bit of dressing with each bite, but fewer calories!

I can't believe is not butter makes this butter tasting spray that's actually quite tasty.

Ocean Spray Cran Grape is NOT 100% fruit juice. It has a lot of extra sugar in it. As a matter of fact, your suggestion about fruit was much better. It is better to eat an orange (because it had fiber) than to drink a glass of orange juice. Northern makes 100% Cran-Grape juice, but be forewarned, it is going to be bitter after the Ocean Spray because Ocean Spray adds so much sugar to theirs. TO help me, I add apple juice to the Northern.

Otherwise, great suggestions!!

There are two kinds of Ocean Spray Cran Grape. The one with the sugar, or as they call it "corn syrup" is around 2.50 a bottle and contains between 10-20% juice and the 100% juice is over 4.00. It also contains other fruits to help it taste sweeter such as apples, pears, etc. You have to check for the 100% pure on the bottle. The juice containing corn syrup tends to be thicker because it's only syrup, flavoring, and water.

my brother did the body for life routine and lost mad weight. he went from being about 275 lbs to being 180 lbs. and went from a size 42 waist to a 36 waist. he's also become ripped from doing all the strength training and stuff.
i'm trying to do it, but i just don't have the will power. i do go to the gym at least twice a week and get on the treadmill or bike for about 30min. and the george forman grill is my bestfriend. at this point i'm just maintaining instead of losing. whatever?!

shelley j
sigma k

I lost 30 pounds in 3 months !!! (lol I sound like a commercial)

But seriously, I did I exercised (walked on the treadmill for about 45 minutes, Running is too hard :rolleyes: ) everyday (but Sunday ) Situps until I hurt, watched what I ate (grilled chicken, water, raw vegetables, fruit (green grapes my favorite) and voila!! Every one is like "What did you do you look sooo good?"

I knew I had lost weight when I had to wear jogging suits everyday because all my clothes were too big. I went to the stores and finally I could go to the junior section (Can we say size 4 and 6??) Whoo Hoo!! Yayyyy ME!! ;) :D :D :D

I am not an Alpha, but am interested in nutrition
 

I did a dearch to see who was talking about nutrition...

I have found that regular exercise, healthy diet, AND STICKING TO IT is the best way to lose weight. I think sticking to it is the most important part, and this means you have to allow yourself a little wiggleroom every once in a while. If you start to become to obsesive, you will develop some disorder, allow the candy here and there, or soda, etc. Just don't over consume... Sorry, just wanted to put my2 cents in...

It's that time of year again....
 

Here we are all over again. The new year is upon us and with it, plans for a better and no doubt thinner 2004. This is my official boarding date onto the proverbial bandwagon. :D For those of you who couldn't care less about my desire to get in shape and lose weight, stop reading now. For any of you who want to do this with me, please let me know! I could really use some partners in crime! :)

Here are my stats, ladies: 5'8", 155 lbs. I am a certified personal trainer, so there really is no excuse for me to be as out of shape as I am.

My goals: I want to increase my endurance and improve my all around physical fitness. I also want to eat fewer refined foods, drink more water and eat more fruits and vegetables. I don't feel the desire to take meat out of my diet at this time. I was a vegetarian for a year and my menses stopped... :eek: Not the WOE for me...

My plan: I have a nice gym in my apartment building, so I will make more use of it. I also have Winsor Pilates DVD's which are wonderful. I will go to the gym at least 5 days per week and do 30-45 minutes of cardio (treadmill/recumbent bike/eliptical). I will also do 30-45 minutes of weight training Mon.-Sat. Sunday will be a freebie. ;)

Nutrition: I will have a fruit/soy milk smoothie for breakfast (accompanied with a bowl Kashi if I'm very hungry). For lunch and dinner, I will stick with green salads with lean protein tossed in. No iceberg lettuce here, folks. The protein will come from lean cuts of chicken, fish or beef. I will use olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing. I may also consider having a small about of carbs (brown rice), lean protein and green/yellow vegetables for dinner. Water, water and more water. I find that lemon juice helps me drink as much water as I need to. I will nix the diet soda that I currently consume too much of. I had been taking a multivitamin pack daily, but I sort of fell off. I will begin taking vitamins again.

So, what do you guys think? Is anyone down with the cause? :p I could use any positive words you guys could offer up!

Thanks everyone!

Re: It's that time of year again....
 

I am going to critique the diet you posted, and I am sure that you as a trainer will already know most of what I'm saying, but I'll post the more obvious bits so that it can be a more informative post for everyone.

I would work harder on the diet.

The diet you describe here is really clean, which is great, but this is not enough food. If you follow it as listed below you will be getting approx. 1000 cal/day, which is too low to burn fat. You will burn your muscle first with your calories that low because your body thinks you're starving. It will hold onto the fat as the best source of energy and burn the muscles you are working so hard to develop. Not the way to achieve physical fitness.

I am curious about what your diet was like when you were vegetarian. I only ask because I know many vegans AND vegetarians, and none of them have ever had a problem with their menses (not saying it doesn't happen, I just have never seen it- plus I am sure that there are any numer of factors that also could have caused it). Disruption of your cycle is something that I have generally seen/heard of when calories are kept far too low over an extended period of time. I don't know how you were eating at that point and so can't say what caused it, but I did find that aspect of your post a bit worrying.

Another reason to increase your caloric intake- if you are working hard in the gym then you need adequate nutrition to fuel those workouts. For your height if you are working out regularly I would add at least 500 calories to that diet. Best way to find out your exact nutritional needs of course is to find out your resting metabolic rate. THere are plenty of calculators online that can help you. Once you know how many calories your body needs to perform basic functions it will be easier to decide how many calories are appropriate for you.

In terms of eating to exercise, I saw my best results when I supplemented with protein. I saw AMAZING progress in terms of strength for myself when I increased my protein intake to 1g/lb of bodyweight per day. I supplemented with whey generally after my workouts on lifting days, and in the evenings before bed other times. I also was on a high fiber diet (varied between 30 and 45g per day), so would eat a lot of fiber one cereal, at least 5 servings of veggies per day, a TON of brown rice and veggies.

Another suggestion on my part is to eat smaller meals more frequently (5-6 times a day). It is easier to follow a WOE when you eat several times a day- you can make good choices because you are never starving and you dont make food choices purely out of hunger.

The diet below also seems to lack somewhat in variety/detail. You want to east Kashi or a smoothie every day? Salad every day?? Maybe you can do that for an extended period of time, but it would be rough, and in the long term might contribute to you giving up on your WOE.

You might want to start considering more things that you can get that are easy to cook, or viable options in fast food (I buy a lot of sauteed veggies at the chinese food store without rice, or go to Micky D's for a grilled chicken sandwich plain, or even a piece of fried chicken without the skin and some steamed veggies). Another good thing to have is substitutes. Instead of ice cream have frozen yogurt, instead of potato chips try some flavored soy chips. Know your weaknesses and find ways to appease them before you go out of control! Some people can be a little bad, and some can't- know what you can stand in terms of eating well. I know that for me, if I give in to a craving it is MUCH harder to resist. I can't have just one cookie at a time. Or worse, I might have one today but on the next day when I remember how good that one was, I'll have four. *sigh* In other words, be prepared for the bad times as much as possible!

I hope this helped!! Good luck!

Hi Soror,

Thanks for the words of wisdom. You are absolutely correct with regard to the issues that you mentioned. There are lots of holes in my plan say, for someone who was trying to do it as well. From what I described, some could perceive that my diet would be lacking in both caloric intake and variety. However, I was just trying to give a rough outline of my broad goals and the steps I will take to get there in hopes that other Sorors and sisterfriends would join me on my quest to improved health.

About the vegetarian lifestyle and the way it affected me, it had much more to do with a blood disorder that makes me extremely prone to anemia than it did with not eating meat. At the time when I was a vegetarian, I was unaware of this disorder and I was not compensating for it. I know many vegans/vegetarians who have no problem getting adequate minerals/protein into their diet, but it was not so easy for me years ago. I have not ruled out that WOE, particularly with the great advances food producers have made in meatless products since then. I'm sure you've read the Boca thread on this board! ;)

I can see how my diet could be boring to some, but it has helped me maintain/lose weight for a long time. I do the smoothie in the morning whether I'm trying to shed pounds or not. I am not a breakfast person, but I know how important it is to make time for it. With the smoothie, I get my fruit in for the day, lots of fiber and soy. I use fuit (pre-mixed/frozen that I buy from Sam's), soy milk and sometimes I add a little unsweetened pineapple juice.

I know that I do not eat enough protein (nor could I) to maintain rigorous weight training schedule. What protein supplements have you tried and what were your results with them? Thanks so much! :)

I have bought a couple of different protein supplements. In terms of mixes my favorite cheap brand is GNC 100% whey protein. Inexpensive, doesn't taste bad and it works fairly well. My favorite brand that was a little more expensive is the Nitro Tech protein supplements. These are pricey and taste TERRIBLE, but they are full of l-glutamine and all those good supplements. I made the best progress with this supplement, just had to chase it with something else afterwards. blech!). These were good when I was working out at home and could mix them up in my kitchen, also when I wanted a morning/evening protein shake (I was having both at one point- it was hard to eat 130g of protein/day!).

One way to get more protein into your diet would be to mix one or two servings of protein powder into your morning smoothies. 20-40 extra grams of protein in one shot.

With ready to drink protein shakes (for when I am working out at the gym and don't carry a shaker bottle with me) I like Pure Protein (35g of protein, mostly casein as opposed to whey) and the MetRx brand shakes (in the large black can, 40g protein, 2 or 3g of fiber and only 240 calories, it's a winner, even if it is casein protein!).

Just dont waste your money on most protein bars. They are more convenient, but really not worth the money, and FULL of sugar if they are remotely edible. The one (maybe) exception to this is Designer Protein's Detour and U Turn bars. You can get them in small sizes at Duane Reade- 160 calories, 15 grams of protein, 2g of fiber, less than 20g of sugar and they taste like a Snickers! The large size is 300 calories and 30g of protein.

a great article on protein timing/casein v. whey
 

That's why I love me some Sorors!
 

Thanks so much for your insight on this issue. If only it were as easy to do as it is to discuss. I would be RIPPED, girl! :D

Oh well, I better get my mind right so I can hit the gym tomorrow. Pray for me! I will start with lower body weight training. Sore quads are very motivating to me, and nothing sets off a little black dress quite like em'... :)

Re: That's why I love me some Sorors!
 

Well I am always happy to help a Soror out!

For me I like having sore lats. In the past I never really worked the muscle to failure, so when it's sore I know I did a good job!

When I work out at the gym (as opposed to home) I also like the lower back machines. When those muscles are a bit sore I feel like I put in a comprehensive workout, lol.

Since I gave you the food advice you can help me out on the exercise tip!

My schedule has changed soooo much since the days when I was ripped (I had a six pack. It was beeeyooootiiiiifuuuul, lol). I am still muscular, but not as lean as I was when I was working out five times a week. I am up at 6 am, and dont get home til 8 pm most nights.

In the past most of my cardio has centered on the elliptical trainer and dance classes. Well dance classes are just out now. No time:(. What cardio do you think gets the best bang for your buck? According to the calorie readout on the machine the elliptical trainer is best, but I know that those are not always accurate.

What in your experience has been the most effective cardio exercise? What gets you the most bang for your buck (and won't kill the knees, a la sprints)?

Your advice is muuuuch appreciated!

You have named some of the the most common factors that women have to deal with when it comes to working out: 1. lack of time and 2. easy on the knees.

As you noted, elipitical training is a great workout that can really pack a heck of a caloric burn and it's nearly impact-free. However, like any form exercise, it can get monotonous. Also, you may need to increase your minutes of cardio since it sounds like you are already in good condition. The body does get stagnant quite easily, and a new challenge of a few extra minutes or a higher incline is just the thing to keep you on your toes, no pun intended.

If you can devote 45 minutes to cardio, it doesn't all have to be at one station. You can spend twenty on the recumbent bike on a "ride in the park" battling some grueling hills, and then jump on the eliptical for twenty-five minutes. That will give you spice of life, and still get your heart rate up and help you burn fat. Just be certain not to take too much time between machines if you want to stay in the proper heart rate zone.

Also, remember that every little bit of exercise counts. Take the stairs over the elevator, take that parking space off in the cut (as long as it's a safe, well-lit lot), etc... I do calf raises while I clean the kitchen and while I take showers. I also wear ankle weights around the house. Every little bit counts!

I highly recommend surfing ivillage.com for some great tips on squeezing fitness into a busy lifestyle. They also have great nutrition tips for women.

So basically, my answer is if you have a little block of time and you want to get in a cardio blast, the eliptical machine is a great way to go. But, I would also recommend that you occasionally try 45 minutes broken up. Here is my personal workout when I'm really short on time (upper body):

5 minutes on eliptical (working hard)
set of push ups (fast but very controlled)
25 crunches (control is key)
set of lat pull downs
5 minutes on eliptical (working hard)
set of push ups
25 crunches
set of tricep kickbacks (free weights; focusing on form)
5 minutes on eliptical (you should be sweating by now :))
set of push ups
25 of crunches
set of dumbbell presses (overhead; watch that form)
5 minutes on eliptical (really pushing yourself now, girlie)
25 of crunches
set of push ups
set of dumbbell curls
3 minutes on eliptical (pushing as hard as possible)
2 minutes cooling down on eliptical

*you should spend about five minutes doing the push ups, crunches, etc... between your time on the trainer. I cannot stress how key form is during this training. It's easy to get caught up in the pace of it and miss out on the benefits if you're not careful.

On days when you plan to focus on your lower body, you would keep the crunches, swap lunges for the push ups, and throw in sets of lower body exercises (i.e. leg curls, presses, calf raises). This would really give you the most benefit when you are pressed for time! After a workout like this, you still have time to shower and get that wig together! :p

Hope this helps! Talk with you soon!

Thanks for the tips!

I am trying to be more active in other ways, and have found a lot of different ways to work it in with my day- I work on the third floor of my building and almost always take the stairs (and I am up and down those stairs several times a day, so it adds up), and I have a nice long half-mile walk to my job. When I first started here I leaned out because of the increased activity. But then I stopped going to the gym regularly for cardio due to time constraints and I went back to what I think of as my body's set point.

At this point I do my resistance workouts at home- I have an array of dumbells and purchased a barbell a while back, so I am able to increase intensity periodically. Plus it's just a lot more fun than cardio, and thus easier to stick to, lol. It's just the cardio that I have fallen down on.

*Sigh* I will just have to recommit myself to fitness this winter I guess. I don't foresee myself getting back to the level of perfection I was at last winter when I was absolutely precise about what I ate and when I exercised because I am now employed, lol. But I am just trying to think of ways to make everything tighter.

ETA: My upper body workout looks like this:

warmup: Tae Bo 8 minute blast
3 sets of 10 reps of:
bench presses
barbell rows
military press
pull ups
50 pusu ups (no reps/sets)
biceps- either concentration curls or hammer curls
tricep kickbacks or dips

lower body is simpler:
3 sets of ten reps of:
squats (sometimes more than 3 sets on this one- my lower body is much stronger than my upper body and without a squat machine at home it's hard for me to handle that much weight across my shoulders with good form- my lower body has no problem squatting it, but lifting and putting down the weights can be downright dangerous if I am working the muscle to failure)
lunges or step ups with a tall box
dead lifts
calf raises

I increase weight periodically so I am always pushing myself. I have a whey protein shake right after I finish so that my muscles have plenty of amino acids to repair the damage I've just caused.

Can I just say I am always in AWE when lovelyivy posts about diet/exercise and nutrition...then I feel guilty about slipping from diet. lol.

Prissfit1908 I will hop on your bandwagon and will post more later(I have to work sometime lol) There is another certain somebody on this board I'm going to get on your bandwagon also. I have to send her a PM ;)

Is it just me...
 

Or is that 8-minute Tae-Bo video longer than eight minutes? I swear it's at least 15! :D I bought six of those videos from HSN/QVC (one of the two) a couple of years ago for $30. Two basic, two advanced, 8-minute and a video to help you could use with a punching bag/stand. They are great! As a matter of fact, I did one of the basic today and I thought my thighs were going to fall off! I mean, I literally had to yell out after it was all said and done. Whew! Billy is no joke!

Has anyone tried Winsor Pilates? I have long adored the Pilates technique for keeping my core very strong, but I am budgeting and I let my gym membership go. That means no more Pilates classes for me since I definitely can't afford to go to a Pilates studio. But I have found that the Winsor DVD's are wonderful.

Toocute, welcome to the bandwagon! :p I know it's some more folks who want to join! Don't be shy! We can do this together. It'll be like Weight Watchers only free and no meetings. Okay, so it won't be anything like WW, but it will still be fun to do it together! :D

I was unemployed. I had a looot of time to do research, lol. And I'm also vain so there ya go!

As of right now I am trying like everyone else to be good. I have all the information I just need to modify my behavior. It's really difficult (says the person who had a soda AND cookie with lunch!).

Soror Prissfit- the Tae Bo tape only FEELS longer, lol. I bought it a while back and lost my copy so I dl'ed it off of kazaalite- trust me I watch the timer while working out! It is indeed 8 minutes.

I am not a Pilates person. For flexibility and peace of mind I MUCH prefer yoga, and I just feel that pilates is falsely marketed as a possible replacement for weight training. That and the spot reduction myth are the ones that really annoy me!

Soror LovelyIvy,

I know what you mean about the false advertising that surrounds Pilates and lots of other forms of exercise. However, as long as you have a realistic outlook on what to expect, you won't be sorry. I would not recommend Pilates to someone who had 50+ lbs to lose and had not set foot inside a gym since junior high. Pilates works well for someone who is already in decent shape and wants to increase flexibility, tone and ab/back strength.

I like yoga as well. If you get the Oxygen channel, I would recommend you try the 6:00 a.m. yoga show M-F. But if you're a purist, never mind. The host is entertaining and the music is grooving, which can be distracting to me and my poses :) depending on the mood I'm in. It does, however, make doing yoga at 6:00 a.m. a little easier sometimes.

I am not a yoga purist, lol. But I like power yoga specifically, where you get to burn a few calories along with your peaceful meditative state. It's great! One gym I attended had tribal yoga (yoga + african dance), which was bizarre but WONDERFUL!

I suppose that pilates wouldn't bother me so much if so many people didn't buy into it. Every time I hear that someone trying to lose weight wants to use it to 'tone' it just drives me nuts! You have to lose body fat or gain muscle to achieve the effect that is referred to as 'toning', and I dont think that pilates is really the most efficient way to do it by a long shot.

Once you're already in good shape it can be a good way to introduce variety into your workouts, but for the beginner there are just so many better ways to use your time!

Re: Is it just me...
 

Thank you! The person I was talking about is scurrred to come up in this thread...but I'm sure she peeked at it. I'll get her in here.
:p

I'm 5'8' 165 :o I want to get to 150. Anything lower and I just look skinny. I got down to 145 during my first trimester (morning sickness like a mofo) and I looked SO small. I did Weight Watchers and lost 22 pounds about 4 years ago but I'm just not motivated :( . I need to make better eating decsions and learn better restraint. My job and the terror toddler at home are stressing me right now (lil boy don't want to sleep at night all of a sudden) I'm going to start making changes now so on 1/1/04 I'll be ready to get really rolling.

CTFU @ Prissfit1908 grooving instead of posing.. lol. That sounds like something I'd do. :) :p

lol.. I like to watch the morning workout shows on the few mornings that I wake up that early. I need to get up and DO IT along with the bright cheery people.. lol. Im not a morning person. I will join the group in working out..I'll hafta steal Mom's windsor DVD though, lol. :):p

Yay!!!! i'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. I would not recommend this to someone who has never done yoga at a studio b4. The first couple classes it really helps to have a real live instrustor help you with your form. But, on days when the alarm goes off and I need a quick workout to jump start the day, this fits the bill. I have some tapes as well, but after a while you start to remember what's on them. Inhale's [name of the oxygen yoga show] instructor at least mixes up the poses so it doesn't get boring. Be warned, there are a fair number of push ups in most of his classes, and you may be feeling it the next day!:D

Oh, my legs....
 

I am so sore, ya'll. :) I'm the kind of sore that you forget about until you go to stand up at work, or put your pants on, or to get out of the car... It's a very good feeling. I've missed it. :D

I did Tae-Bo yesterday and Pilates today. Tomorrow, I think I will hit the gym for a good 45 minutes of cardio.

Mama gon' work it out! Mama gon' work it out! :p

Although I am not catholic, I have a confession to make:

Many of ya'll know I've been a tad stressed out lately, right? Well... why did I get home from work last night (midnight) and proceed to order a medium pepperoni pizza? :rolleyes: My greedy behind ate all but two pieces... which I ate for breakfast this morning. How many hail jenny's (as in craig) should that warrant? :) I call myself exercising and drinking lots of water and detox tea all day today like that is really doing something... Ignant.:D

Oh thee well! Tomorrow will be better.

See...this is me almost everyday. I start out cool. Egg whites on a toasted roll, Cup of coffee, fruit or something light for a snack, then BAM lunch time rolls around, peeps start ordering chinese or fish (there is a jamming little ghetto fish spot on 3rd ave. who would have though fried whiting in mid town manhattan??) and I just lose it. No self control...no restraint. I come home still full from lunch so I don't eat dinner. If I do it's a bowl of cereal or something light.

*le sigh*

When I get back from Milwaukee I have to get it together,

Have you thought about having a more substantial breakfast then?

Why not add some lean turkey sausage or bacon or the morningstar sausages?? Or have the whole egg. It only adds 60 calories and a lot of the nutrients are in the yolk. You might as well finish it as long as you don't have like five eggs per day.

If you eat more food early it might help you control the cravings later in the day.

PLUS you are having a lot of carbohydrates in the morning and when it comes to assuaging hunger...they're not the best. The effect on your blood sugar levels will mean that you're hungry in a shorter amount of time. You might have better luck feeling full for longer if you add the lean protein and a little more fat in.

Thank you lovelyivy...that's a thought. I also thought about the 5-6 mini meals thing. I did that once before and had good results.

After this wedding look out!!!!!

Where is everybody else??? HELLO OUT THERE!!!!!