Second Week Down... 50 to go

[Cat]

Thanks Melisa! I feel so much better. Last week was a bust with the trainer. I didn't go in Monday. She was out Friday. But Wednesday we talked about finishing out May and in June going from 30 minutes weight training and an hour+ of cardio to an hour of weight training/cardio fusion, followed by a straight cardio class.... She called it a 3 2 1, three minutes weights, two minutes cardio, and one minute of stretching(?). I think I'm a nut, but I'll be a healthier nut.

I won't start picking on you for another 30 weeks when it turns into a waiting game. I think the second time is worse than the first. I walked around dilated for three weeks. That was frustrating.

 

[Cat]

Maybe it's 3 minutes cardio and 2 minutes weights.

Can't remember.

 

[dantheman]

OMG, that is awesome!! I am proud of you keep up the good work!!!

PS. just don't pick on me for getting fat.

Dear God , whatever you do , don't pick on her .

 

[LSU2010]

I was reading this thread and it made me wanna go to the gym. SO I did! It was awesome. Cat, I total agree with how you feel after you go to the gym. I'm with you. Good Luck!

 

[XDguy]

After you make it a part of your life for a while its addictive which makes it easier. I cant not work out my 3 days a week or deviate from my diet, it sticks in the back of my mind the times I need to eat and will drive me crazy if I dont. The gym is important but will yield nothing if the rest of your lifestyle is not healthy as well.

 

[Cat]

Agreed! It was my son's third birthday Friday so I used it to have a Non-Diet Day. I used to eat quite a bit of red meat. I may eat it once a week now and that's only because I'm too lazy to cook two meals instead of one. I still have a steak and potatoes husband. Most of the time I'll just eat the veggies. Last night was birthday cake and steak though. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

I've discovered I feel out of balance if I skip a gym day and if I don't eat right, until I do go to the gym and spend the day living healthy, I won't feel like I'm in control. After a weekend indulgence, Monday mornings are a great recharge for me now.

 

[XDguy]

If you have to live in a house that does not share you same eating habits it makes it 10x harder. Do you take any supplements?

 

[Cat]

I've started taking a general women's One-A-Day vitamin but I don't take any other supplements. I really do like produce, and the household prefers steamed green broccoli or roasted brussel sprouts so it's not hard to eat vegetarian one or two nights a week when he stops by Popeyes, or grills steaks etc. I stopped buying regular snacks and swapped the kids over to the 100 calorie packs. That way if I do cave in, it's better than the original brands.

I am supported in the household generally speaking, we've cut out ALOT because I just don't pick up what I can't eat unless school is out. As long as it tastes good, I don't have complaints. My daughter prefers skinless chicken over anything else. My son could care less. This summer is going to be a little tough but as long as I stock yogurt and strawberries and doritos (which I don't care for), I think we'll be good.

We've always been healthy eaters in general. I very rarely fry foods and we skip desserts 99% of the time. I had to readjust our proportions and balancing the carbs/fats/proteins. Outside of that, we've cut out red meat and a few other minor changes that were very small sacrifices but counts up to quite a bit.

 

[jphilp87]

Wow, I just saw this thread. Sounds like you are on the right track Cat. You have a great outlook on life and on the goal at hand! Remember that a healthy lifestyle is like anything else in life.... mind over matter.

Keep up the good work

 

[Cat]

I hit a plateau, so we upped the time with my personal trainer from thirty minutes to one hour, three days a week.

I've also had to start eating cheese and nuts between meals again to kickstart my metabolism. I hadn't been dropping weight like I did the first two months. Since changing up my snack habits, the weight loss has started to speed up again.

I was sticking to a fairly strict diet in the last few days because I wanted to punch through the 200 lb mark by June 1. But yesterday I could have sworn I was in the middle of a hangover. Punch drunk and a major headache. I said to hell with the carbs and drank a full 16 oz Coke. I felt better. Wasn't sure if it was caffiene withdrawal or my blood sugar had crashed. I doubled my PT, and increased my cardio training so I think it was the fact my body was demanding more.

This morning, I woke up and added another hundred calories or so to breakfast. I'm listening to my body about cravings today, good carbs and healthy non-saturated fats. I feel better and I dropped two pounds over the week. I'm hoping today by giving my body a break, it won't come back to haunt me next Monday when I weigh again.

That's been half my battle. Either I blow my diet completely, or I end up denying my body what it needs to feel good and I end up feeling run down and wiped out by mid-week.

Oh well, I have a little over 35 pounds to go to my target of 160. I started at 215, and I'm around 198, give or take a few ounces. The last month was so slow in peeling off weight. Only 5 or 6 pounds. But I've dropped two pants sizes and several inches everywhere in the last month so something's been going on.

The good news is that I've hit my pre-pregnancy weight from my last kidlet. My PT is going to do another assessment next week, marking three months. My goal was 208 and I've nailed that by a good ten pounds. I'd like to see 175 by the end of July, but counting up the weeks, that's 23 pounds and eight weeks. Hate to say it but I don't think that's a feasible goal.

My husband said I'd probably only loose 6 pounds by the end of June. He's probably right.

 

[smith625]

Outstanding work, i need to do this in the worst way, is the personal trainer thing pretty much luck of the draw?

 

[Cat]

I think the personal trainer has worked out for me wonderfully. She costs $250 a month for 30 minutes/three days a week. So of course it's going to double since I've increased my time. But the cost is worth the motivation and encouragement I receive from her. She also makes sure I don't overwork any one muscle group and use the equipment correctly. Another reason I've realized is that there is a gym etiquette when you're in the weight room. Without her there beside me to help me learn the ropes, I realize I would have pissed off a few people those first few days. If you don't want to spend that much money, then you can also discuss a work out plan, meeting with your PT every couple weeks to reassess your progress, increase weights and tweak your workout plan. Many folks I've seen do this. I keep her mostly for motivation purposes.

In my case the training manager assessed what I needed and matched me to the trainer that best fit my personality/goals. One trainer prefers athletes, and one is a running trainer, one is an older lady that I've seen work with other older ladies etc. So if you go to a decent gym, it shouldn't be luck of the draw.

In my case I go to Louisiana College Athletic Club, LAC, in Pineville, LA and they work in conjuction with a local hospital and house Mid-State Orthopaedic clinic in their building. My only complaint is that they do not have a fruit/smoothie bar. They have subway, a few other health/fitness/beauty clinics. It's a fairly huge place. I love it, it's become my second weekly home.

 

[smith625]

Ok thanks for the info i will have to see around here, and good luck with your taining mission.

 

[Cat]

Thank you!

Personally, unless you travel extensively, I would suggest staying away from the 24 hour fitness places. My sister uses one and I've been in it. The trainers there did appear to be luck of the draw. The gym I use is very health conscious and as I said, have a working relationship with a local hospital. They're degreed and trained well in nutrition and physical fitness. The girl I spoke with at All Hours Fitness had no idea some of the pieces of equipment I was explaining to my sister.

 

[LSU2010]

how's it going? I got a free gym membership here in HI for the summer so I have been running and hitting the weights. Feeling good. They have yoga everyday that is no extra charge. Looking forward to that as well. Hurt my Achilles's heel doing calf extensions two days ago and then ran 3 miles through it because i was trying to be tough... now icy hot but back at it tomorrow. Looking Going to loose 20 lbs before school starts back.

 

[melisa]

Cat, I'm sorry but you were looking good at the gun show.

 

[ryan]

getting to the gym is the hardest for me, but once im there i spend an hour or 2 usually. I make myself go a minimum of 3 days a week.

 

[Cat]

Thanks Melisa! I feel pretty good. I wish I'd lose the baby stretched belly fat. I have a feeling that's never going away.

I'm waiting for the summer to be over, 2010. I know it's air conditioned but the whole upstairs is open and the AC can't keep up very well. It's been too miserable to do much more than show up and drag through it just to keep the habit going.

 

[Craig]

Great job Cat!
Keep it up.

 

[Mjolnir]

Thanks Melisa! I feel pretty good. I wish I'd lose the baby stretched belly fat. I have a feeling that's never going away.

I'm waiting for the summer to be over, 2010. I know it's air conditioned but the whole upstairs is open and the AC can't keep up very well. It's been too miserable to do much more than show up and drag through it just to keep the habit going.

Hey, Cat. My advice is not to look at yourself in the mirror and type what you did and, more importantly, HOW YOU FEEL. It works for me. I type every night on what aches and how I FEEL about what I'm doing, what I'm reading (and I read a ton) and how I'm eating. I make a point to re-read the last week every other day or so.

GOALS

I don't have any hard, fast goals but since I'm a retired athlete I know what I was once able to do and, more importantly, WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO DO IT BOTH PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY & PSYCHOLOGICALLY. Find a goal other than "making weight"; try something like: I wish to hike the Appalachians in 2011 or I wish to obtain a Black Belt in Judo by 2012. You'll then be working out as a means to a TANGIBLE, FUN end as opposed to assessing your weight on a scale. For instance, my goal is to work out more intensely for longer periods of time each workout week and recuperate quicker. Sideline Goals are to rehab my left shoulder, my lower abdominal strain and my left hip flexor/tendon. The Activity Goal is to be able to complete one of the Special Forces Physical Quals. I cannot achieve this without rehabing my shoulder (cannot do pullups without pain) or my lower abs as your Core is, well, the core for explosive movement. I also need to gain more upper body strength and for the runs I need to shed useless weight (i.e., fat). So I don't focus on my BMI, weight or the workout, per se. I have a much bigger, tangible goal.

Keep up the good work!!