# Exercise/diet motivation...



## pacer (Mar 18, 2014)

This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.

"...some of us who are really interested in making changes can post articles and ideas...and make support friends to PM privately when we need to have extra encouragement." (drifter)

I guess I'll start off the thread by posting this article which maybe helpful to some.

Get off your butt:  16 ways to get motivated when you're in a slump


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## Mr. H. (Mar 18, 2014)

Good idea for a thread. 

I'm on the shy side of 60 and I'd like to hang around and watch the grandbabby grow up. 
Right now I'm a physical washout. But I do love my whisky.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 18, 2014)

There are quite a few people here who have shared publicly the loss of a loved one this  past year including me. ( my cousin, my dad, and my sister June 2013)

It's common to go through different stages of grief and to lose interest in things you used to enjoy.

I used to exercise 5 times a week and I ate healthy. After my sister died I basically quit eating right, quit exercising, slept alot watched netflix and posted online when not at school.

I am back to eating healthy, and I don't sleep all the time like I used to but the exercise still has not gone back to normal.

I found this article about exercise for people in grief since that's what I am dealing with. It may not resonate for everyone but for some it might.

When you are in a slump looking at the root cause of things helps, mine is grief.

How I Used Exercise to Help with Grief After My Fiance Died


> Grief Can Actually Feel Less Devastating If You Exercise
> 
> A few years ago, my fiance died the day before our wedding. The day of the wedding, I had to deal with 200 out of town visitors in town for a wedding that didn't happen. The next few months passed in a bit of a daze until I realized, one day, I had gained a lot of weight. Grief tends to do that to you. You get so caught up in how you feel and what you've lost, you don't really take notice of anything else going on, and you certainly don't exercise. The problem is, when you're still in one of the stages of grief (I think I'd hit denial by then), it's really difficult to muster up any energy to do anything about it. But, some little voice in my head kept telling me I had to find the energy from somewhere and little by little I did. Exercise was finally the first thing I started to do to try to work my way through the stages of grief.
> I was living in Ohio at the time and the weather had just started to turn a little warmer. I didn't want to join a gym to exercise as I certainly didn't feel like being around a lot of people. So, I started to walk around my neighborhood. When I first started out, fifteen minutes of slow walking was about all I could be bothered to do. Not a lot, and it certainly wasn't going to make me lose tons of weight but, with the fresh air and endorphins that kick in when you exercise, after a week I noticed my mood was lighter. After two weeks, I had increased my exercise time until I was walking 30 minutes about four times a week. My grief was still apparent but I did notice it didn't feel quite so sharp.
> ...



How I Used Exercise to Help with Grief After My Fiance Died - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com


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## Michelle420 (Mar 18, 2014)

Exercise helps beat depression  thats not just a theory, but scientific fact.

Many people think exercise involves grueling workouts or exhausting runs.



> Youre not alone. Nearly everyone I have spoken to has experienced supreme difficulty exercising while depressed  although not one of these people ever reported feeling worse after a walk.
> 
> Exercise need not be intensive or exhausting. A study by Dr. Andrea Dunn found that patients who did the equivalent of 35 minutes walking, six days per week, experienced a reduction in their level of depression by 47 percent.  This study, conducted at the Cooper Research Institute in Dallas, Texas, shows that as little as three hours of regular exercise a week reduces the symptoms of mild to moderate depression as effectively as Prozac and other antidepressants.
> 
> ...



3 Ways to Beat Depression Through Exercise | World of Psychology


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## Michelle420 (Mar 18, 2014)

thug kitchen on Tumblr


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## Michelle420 (Mar 18, 2014)

*SNOWED IN ?*



> Mustering up the motivation to hit the gym mid-winter is hard enough. It&#8217;s freezing, it&#8217;s dark, and it&#8217;s not like you can exactly show off the early development of a four-pack under all that down and cashmere, anyway. Factor in the neverending Snowmageddon forecast, and you&#8217;re choosing repeat episodes of MTV&#8217;s Skins over Spandex until spring.
> 
> But as anyone who&#8217;s seen The Shining knows, cabin fever can bring out the unpleasant side in all of us. Weather reports be damned &#8211; sometimes you just need to move. So instead of sulking about snowed-in status, seize the opportunity to get creative with your workouts by bringing the gym to you. &#8220;If you&#8217;ve got a body, you&#8217;ve got your workout equipment,&#8221; according to personal trainer Kate Galliet, who put together a quick program of nine exercises for helping to staying in shape while staying indoors.
> 
> What you need:



9 Indoor Exercises for Working Out on a Snow Day | Blisstree


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## Michelle420 (Mar 18, 2014)

*Why is exercise important for people on dialysis?*



> Exercise is important for people on dialysis because it promotes a healthier lifestyle. Exercise can help you in numerous ways. If you are overweight and your doctor suggests that you lose extra pounds, exercise  along with a lower-calorie, kidney-friendly diet  can help. You can also strengthen your muscles with exercise. One of the most important muscles to exercise is your heart. A healthy heart is important, because when you have kidney disease you are at risk for getting heart disease. Exercise can also reduce depression and help you feel happier.





> Here are some ways you can benefit from exercise:
> Improves digestion
> Increases energy level
> Improves quality of sleep
> ...



Indoor Exercises for People on Dialysis - DaVita


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## pacer (Mar 19, 2014)

If you are tempted to take over-the-counter diet pills, here is a chart showing the effectiveness and safety of some of the most common products. 

Alli--OTC version of prescription drug orlistat (Xenical)
Bitter Orange
Chitosan
Chromium
Conjugated linoleic acid
Green tea extract
Guar gum
Hoodia

Common over-the-counter weight loss pills--effectiveness and safety


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## Sarah G (Mar 19, 2014)

drifter said:


> thug kitchen on Tumblr



This is good.


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## AquaAthena (Mar 19, 2014)

pacer said:


> This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> 
> "...some of us who are really interested in making changes can post articles and ideas...and make support friends to PM privately when we need to have extra encouragement." (drifter)
> 
> ...



Look at yourself naked in a large mirror every night for 3 minutes.

Count calories and fat calories and carbs. No more than 1500 calories a day for women and 2000  for men. Go light on fat, carbs, and gluten. You will start dropping weight right away and then start brisk walking every morning beginning with 5 minutes and working your way longer. Up to 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes every other day. 

*Weigh yourself naked every morning, *after relieving yourself and before ingesting anything at all. Make sure the bathroom scales is in exactly the same place everyday, and the line marking the zero is in the center. ( this has always worked for me and some weight-loss experts agree and others don't. )  

Every time you have a negative thought about something, look for the positive one. There is a positive and negative side to everything. 
_
There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.  W. Clement Stone_


Good luck and get going.


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## Sarah G (Mar 19, 2014)

Try making nutritional drinks for your morning or afternoon meal.  Really count calories, carbs and protein in the foods you eat.  

Drink water, start slowly but build up to a good amount per day.

Start walking with a destination in mind.  It's more motivating than wandering aimlessly.  Let your goal be getting your heart rate up.

Set goals for getting work done in a day, if you don't, you'll find yourself drawn to the fridge or candy machines at work.  Pack your lunch, btw.


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## Iceweasel (Mar 19, 2014)

I am not a fan of calorie counting or even weighing yourself. If it works, of course, then do it. But I think it can put people on a collision course of failure/sucess, like a sporting event. If my pants start getting tight, I know to back off the groceries. Fasting or skipping meals helps to regulate things. The less you eat the more your stomach shrinks, so it takes less to fill you up.

If you turn into a food Nazi I think you are also doomed to failure because eventually you will succumb to temptation. All things in moderation, a little junk food won't kill you. Making it a lifestyle will. 

I eat healthy veggies almost every night and a fruit drink almost every morning. It's easy to do but easier if it's a habit. Avoid the frozen foods except on occasion. If you are really out of shape start walking. The more you do the easier it is. 

Now where is that candybar?


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## pacer (Mar 19, 2014)

AquaAthena said:


> pacer said:
> 
> 
> > This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> ...


Thank you AquaAthena.  Some very good tips.  I joined a gym a couple of months ago at a community center.  I went three times and haven't gone since.  I need to get away from this computer and get back into a routine.  Once the warmer weather comes, I won't be on here nearly as much.  For now, I am working at Cheers exercising my creative energies.  Pop in for a drink.  My treat.


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## TakeAStepBack (Mar 19, 2014)

Go mt biking.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 19, 2014)

Iceweasel said:


> I am not a fan of calorie counting or even weighing yourself. If it works, of course, then do it. But I think it can put people on a collision course of failure/sucess, like a sporting event. If my pants start getting tight, I know to back off the groceries. Fasting or skipping meals helps to regulate things. The less you eat the more your stomach shrinks, so it takes less to fill you up.
> 
> If you turn into a food Nazi I think you are also doomed to failure because eventually you will succumb to temptation. All things in moderation, a little junk food won't kill you. Making it a lifestyle will.
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing, since people put weight on differently or have different reasons they quit exercising then it stands to reason that losing weight and dieting,different exercises speak more to some and less to others.

Sharing whatever works for each of us may help someone else.

I don't weigh myself, typically if clothes aren't fitting correctly I know I better watch it.

I've been in a low level depression since my sister's suicide in June 2013, so I know why I quit doing exercise.I just need to get my motivation back.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 19, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> Try making nutritional drinks for your morning or afternoon meal.  Really count calories, carbs and protein in the foods you eat.
> 
> Drink water, start slowly but build up to a good amount per day.
> 
> ...



I love smoothies in the morning


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## AquaAthena (Mar 19, 2014)

*The less you eat the more your stomach shrinks, so it takes less to fill you up.*




More accurately, as I have read,  the less you eat the more your _appetite_ shrinks.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 19, 2014)

I think the best motivation is early success. When I first started paleo two years ago I lost 11 pounds in a week just by removing grains and junk from my diet. That led me to remove other horrible things from my diet like fruit juices and to start exercising. After 5 months I'd lost 40 pounds and have kept it off ever since. Since then it's just become my lifestyle and no real motivation is necessary.


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## TakeAStepBack (Mar 19, 2014)

More exercise and a balanced diet is better than starving yourself out. Seriously. Though types of weight loss lead to disease and health problems. It's all about balance and each individual finds that differently.

I've learned that i need exercise and 5 smaller meals a day to maintain a good metabolism and lose unwanted weight. this plan, for me, actually increases energy which in turn, helps burn more calories. 

I prefer exercising from a sport I enjoy than being a gym rat on a treadmill. Everyone is different though.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 19, 2014)

I am doing good on the eating part, and it's not really a diet I just eat at home and make fresh food. My partner wants me to go back to the gym like I used to, mainly because for a long time I was just sleeping and watching netflix and posting online when I was not at school. I guess there was concern about my mental state.

When I exercise I feel more positive mentally and I have more energy and sleep less.


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## AquaAthena (Mar 19, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> I think the best motivation is early success. When I first started paleo two years ago I lost 11 pounds in a week just by removing grains and junk from my diet. That led me to remove other horrible things from my diet like fruit juices and to start exercising. After 5 months I'd lost 40 pounds and have kept it off ever since. Since then it's just become my lifestyle and no real motivation is necessary.



We are creatures of habit, and some discipline, after the goal has been reached.


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## Sarah G (Mar 19, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> I think the best motivation is early success. When I first started paleo two years ago I lost 11 pounds in a week just by removing grains and junk from my diet. That led me to remove other horrible things from my diet like fruit juices and to start exercising. After 5 months I'd lost 40 pounds and have kept it off ever since. Since then it's just become my lifestyle and no real motivation is necessary.



How about exercise?  Have you continued to workout consistently?  Even skinny people need to workout.  Also, cut out the crappy food, yes but also be sure to add food with good nutritional value.  My issue right now is getting outside and working out consistently.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 19, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > I think the best motivation is early success. When I first started paleo two years ago I lost 11 pounds in a week just by removing grains and junk from my diet. That led me to remove other horrible things from my diet like fruit juices and to start exercising. After 5 months I'd lost 40 pounds and have kept it off ever since. Since then it's just become my lifestyle and no real motivation is necessary.
> ...



At least two heavy workouts a week, and when it warms up I'll add sprints back into the mix one day a week. And you're absolutely right about adding food with better nutritional value. I've added more fatty fish, nuts (minus peanuts), berries, clean carbs like sweet potatoes, healthy fats, and began eating liver. I'm considering trying other organ meats as well.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 19, 2014)

> Studying can be hard work, and youll need some serious brain fuel to get you through acing that exam and breezing through getting your degree. Yet the foods many students reach for when theyre deep in a study session are often not only unhealthy, but not exactly ideal choices for energy, concentration and boosting your brainpower. Instead of going for salty, sweet or fatty snacks  however satisfying they may be  try these healthy alternatives instead. Your grades, your brain and your waistline will thank you.
> 
> Instead of Potato Chips:
> 
> ...






100 Healthy Study Snacks You Should Reach For Instead - Associate Degree.com


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## Michelle420 (Mar 19, 2014)

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp seasoning (chipotle, for a salt-free blend I like Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped + pinch more after roasting)
1 pinch chili powder (or cayenne, to taste)
1 pinch salt (to taste)
1 pinch black pepper (to taste)
1 cup almonds (I used smoked but raw, roasted, salted, plain, smoked; use what you have and prefer)



Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds (Vegan; Gluten, Soy, & Dairy Free) Recipe | Yummly


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## auditor0007 (Mar 20, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > I think the best motivation is early success. When I first started paleo two years ago I lost 11 pounds in a week just by removing grains and junk from my diet. That led me to remove other horrible things from my diet like fruit juices and to start exercising. After 5 months I'd lost 40 pounds and have kept it off ever since. Since then it's just become my lifestyle and no real motivation is necessary.
> ...



Successfully losing weight and getting into great shape makes working out become addictive.  I started working out and running when I quit smoking.  Instead of gaining weight after I quit smoking, I lost 17 lbs. within three months.  Now if I could just lose those last two inches in my gut, lol.  I have an issue with eating; I enjoy it too much.  I consume 3000 to 4000 calories per day, but because of my active lifestyle and high metabolism, my weight is holding steady right around 140 lbs.  I was down to 137 at my peak which was Thanksgiving.  By mid January I was back up to 145, but I was sick for a couple of weeks and unable to work out.  It took me about a month to get back down to 138.  

As for eating, rather than count calories, I just dumped all the wasted calories.  I quit drinking soda and stopped putting flavored creamer in my coffee.  I started drinking more water and now I drink my coffee black.  As for food, I eat until I am full, not stuffed, and I eat whenever I feel like it.  I generally eat four meals per day with a lot of snacks late at night.  Breakfast at 10, lunch at 1, dinner at 4, second dinner at 8 or 9, late night snacks before bed.  During warm weather months, I run five days per week, about 25 miles per week, and lift weights two days per week.  I take one day off per week.  During winter, I go to the gym and run on the treadmill or use the ARC trainer.  If you go to the gym, try it out.  It beats the hell out of any elliptical or stair stepper. I can burn 1000 calories per hour on that machine, although I usually only use it for 40 minutes, two 20 minute sessions. 

After smoking for 30 years, I finished my last 5K in 22 minutes and finished 4th out of 80 in my age group.  Bottom line is if you want motivation, set goals that you can achieve and make sure you achieve them.  As you see success, it will drive you to set higher goals.  Just don't make your goals too high so that you cannot reach them in a reasonable amount of time.


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## Sarah G (Mar 20, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> Sarah G said:
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> 
> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
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I'm up early today, 4 am E getting some work out of the way before I go to the Y.  I see they open at 4 so that may be an option if I don't like going later in the morning.

I'm goal oriented for sure.  I've set goals for myself for motivation and to save time.  There was a time where I was a single mom doing all the things single moms have to do and work a 40 plus hour a week job and setting goals helped me get everything in.

Nice post.  I like seeing how everyone else does this.


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## Sarah G (Mar 20, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Sarah G said:
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> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
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I've been working out for a couple of days now.  They're really nice there, showing me how everything works.  I've been shopping carefully, trying to keep everything easy so I will stay consistent.  

Luck with everything, guys.


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## DGS49 (Mar 20, 2014)

Thoughts after 40 years of trying:

(1)  The key to exercise is that you have to DO IT.  You have to find an activity or a group of activities that you ENJOY.  If you think that you will continue doing something that you hate through willpower, you are kidding yourself.  It won't last.  If you don't look forward to your exercise sessions, then you have to find something else to do.

(2)  Fitness has at least three components:  (a) strength, (b) flexibility, and (c) cardiovascular fitness.  In MY case, I have settled on (a) weight training (body-weight exercises, free weights, and selected machines), (b) whole body stretching routines, and (c) interval training, mainly on a stationary bike but also running intervals occasionally.  Distance running and distance bicycling are good, but not sufficient as an exclusive form of exercise.

(3)  Exercise involves EXERTION.  If you find something that you can do while relaxed (e.g., jogging on level terrain, distance swimming, walking) you are getting minimal benefit.  It may burn calories if done for a long period of time, but it does nothing for your strength or flexibility, and not much for your heart & lungs.

(4)  As a general proposition, YOU CAN'T LOSE WEIGHT BY EXERCISING.  Exercising can help you lose weight if you are dieting because obvioiusly it burns a few calories.  It can prevent you from hitting a "plateau" when you are dieting, and it can allow you to overeat without gaining weight (which I do all the time), but if anyone tells you that if you do some new exercise you will lose 40 pounds (without dieting), they are lying.  Especially if the person is on television.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 20, 2014)

DGS49 said:


> Thoughts after 40 years of trying:
> 
> (1)  The key to exercise is that you have to DO IT.  You have to find an activity or a group of activities that you ENJOY.  If you think that you will continue doing something that you hate through willpower, you are kidding yourself.  It won't last.  If you don't look forward to your exercise sessions, then you have to find something else to do.
> 
> ...



Point number 4 is extremely important I think. Exercise is important, but in terms of weight loss it's simply a compliment to diet.


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## Iceweasel (Mar 20, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Point number 4 is extremely important I think. Exercise is important, but in terms of weight loss it's simply a compliment to diet.


If your exercise burns calories (which it should) you will lose weight unless you are building muscle (which you should). Muscle is heavier than fat so that's another reason the scale doesn't give the full story.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 20, 2014)

Iceweasel said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > Point number 4 is extremely important I think. Exercise is important, but in terms of weight loss it's simply a compliment to diet.
> ...



Exercise burns calories in about the same ratio as it causes hunger to replace those calories. That's greatly simplified and generalized, of course, but without dietary modifications a person who tries to rely on only exercise for weight loss is likely to fail as they'll find that they crave sugar to replace that which they burned.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 20, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Iceweasel said:
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As an addition to this post, however, adding exercise will lead to more weight loss than dietary modifications alone. That's why I said in terms of weight loss it is a compliment to diet. If you're only going to do one or the other, however, modifying your diet will have a much greater impact on weight loss by itself than exercise by itself would. In most cases.


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## Iceweasel (Mar 20, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Exercise burns calories in about the same ratio as it causes hunger to replace those calories. That's greatly simplified and generalized, of course, but without dietary modifications a person who tries to rely on only exercise for weight loss is likely to fail as they'll find that they crave sugar to replace that which they burned.


That would be considered eating more, not eating the same. Yes, it would take discipline but so does exercise. If you burn more calories than you take in you lose weight, physics is physics.


Kevin_Kennedy said:


> As an addition to this post, however, adding exercise will lead to more weight loss than dietary modifications alone. That's why I said in terms of weight loss it is a compliment to diet. If you're only going to do one or the other, however, modifying your diet will have a much greater impact on weight loss by itself than exercise by itself would. In most cases.


Well sure. Just look at the prisoners in concentration camps. Obvious both is what you need to be healthy, no question.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 20, 2014)

Iceweasel said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > Exercise burns calories in about the same ratio as it causes hunger to replace those calories. That's greatly simplified and generalized, of course, but without dietary modifications a person who tries to rely on only exercise for weight loss is likely to fail as they'll find that they crave sugar to replace that which they burned.
> ...



Yes, and that's why so many people fail to lose weight on exercise alone. Forcing themselves to essentially starve, not literally starve but I hope you catch my meaning, is a recipe for failure.


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## Roudy (Mar 20, 2014)

AquaAthena said:


> pacer said:
> 
> 
> > This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> ...


Count calories, stay away from bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and corn, limit alcohol consumption, eat lots of fruits and vegetable, and maintain a vigorous exercise schedule.  Here is a test by  Northwestern Mutual Life that proves my point.

It's interesting that there are only 13 questions
Yet, they can predict how long you're likely to
live.

Lifespan Calculator &ndash; Test Your Life Expectancy || NM


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## auditor0007 (Mar 21, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
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> > Iceweasel said:
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I think it really depends upon the individual.  In my case, I started working out when I quit smoking.  Due to my new exercise regimen and quitting smoking, I began eating significantly more, yet I still lost weight.  The thing is that my exercise routine was quite aggressive and I really did increase my metabolism.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 21, 2014)

Roudy said:


> AquaAthena said:
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> > pacer said:
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Calculator said I will live to 120.  

Okay, j/k. It said 93.


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## Sarah G (Mar 21, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> Roudy said:
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Mine's 89 right now.  The questions are pretty generalized so I don't know if I really trust it to be anywhere near accurate but I would love it to be.  

Working early again today so I can go workout.  It was crowded yesterday but after, I drove around a little and I see the bike path we have in the city goes right by the back of the Y.  This bike path is around six miles and runs through all kinds of nice places.  One is a great metropark here.  There's a good parking area there where you can hop on the path.

You can check your city for things like that, it's absolutely free and safer than riding on the streets.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 21, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
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Most people don't do aggressive, and if they do they don't do it for long. One hard workout for somebody who doesn't work out and that's enough to demotivate them for a long time.


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## Roudy (Mar 21, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> auditor0007 said:
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> > Roudy said:
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The quiz isn't very accurate and I think doesn't take into account genetics and other anomalies, but it does give you an overall idea of the factors that Life Insurance companies believe contribute to longevity. I would consider their data pretty reliable as they are in the business of making money on people who live longer.


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## Roudy (Mar 21, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> auditor0007 said:
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Your workout needs to be individualized. The more overweight you are the more cardio you need to do. Some on the other hand need to gain some muscle strength for various reasons, such as building up their core or legs to prevent things such as back or knee injuries. It depends. But overall cardio or muscle, you can't go wrong.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 21, 2014)

Roudy said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
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> > auditor0007 said:
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If somebody was very overweight I probably wouldn't recommend much cardio just on the basis that they might hurt themselves. I would advise they significantly increase the amount that they walk each day, but I would focus primarily on diet and then move them up to more intensive workouts.

The problem with cardio is that many people do too much. Running everyday gives no time for the body to rest and recover. You're simply keeping your body in a constant state of stress, and if you add other workouts on top of that you just compound the problem.


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## Delta4Embassy (Mar 21, 2014)

pacer said:


> This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> 
> "...some of us who are really interested in making changes can post articles and ideas...and make support friends to PM privately when we need to have extra encouragement." (drifter)
> 
> ...



Exercise sucks while you're doing it, but as soon as you stop and the endorphins kick in it's like free safe heroin.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 21, 2014)

Dont give me that I dont eat breakfast bullshit. Its too early to be an asshole. The fiber in the oatmeal helps control your blood sugar and keeps you feeling full until lunch. The quinoa gives your morning a little extra protein because why the fuck not? Start your day right by owning the shit out of it. CARPE FUCKING DIEM.

QUINOA OATMEAL

1 cup steel cut oats (they arent all mushy like regular oatmeal)

½ cup quinoa (I used scarlet quinoa but you grab whatever you can find)

1 teaspoon olive or coconut oil

4 cups water

½ cup almond milk (or whatthefuckever milk you prefer) 

Heat up the water in a kettle on the stovetop or in the microwave until it is near boiling. Put the quinoa in a strainer and rinse that shit so it isnt bitter after you cook it. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the steel cut oats. Stir them around and cook until they smell kinda toasty, like 1-2 minutes. Add the quinoa and the water and bring it all to a boil (this wont take long because the water should already be hot as fuck). Turn down the heat on the pot and let it simmer. Go check your tumblr or Facebook shit while it cooks for about 20 minutes. It should taste done now, not hard but still a little chewy. Add the milk and turn off the heat. Serve with fresh fruit, nuts, maple syrup, brown sugar, whateverthefuck will get you through your day.

Thug Kitchen: Don?t give me that ?I don?t eat breakfast?...


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## DGS49 (Mar 21, 2014)

My logic behind my statement that "You cannot lose weight by exercise."  Some of these numbers are in dispute, but it's hasically like this:

A 175 pound man burns an EXTRA (above basal metabolism) 100 calories per mile of running.  If he runs three miles three times per week, that's an EXTRA 900 calories burned per week.  In four weeks, he has burned an extra 3,600 calories, roughly equivalent to ONE POUND.

That's ONE POUND IN A MONTH.

Assuming he has not increased his calorie intake due to the extra exertion.

But this is all theoretical.  His body will adapt, the amount of extra calories per mile will gradually decrease, and that one pound per month of weightloss will just fade away.  It won't happen.

BUT, if the modest running program is accompanied by a diet - a reduction in calories - then I believe (based on personal experience) that there will  be a synergistic effect.   The combination of diet and exercise will result in MORE weight loss than the sum of the one pound per month what what would have been lost without the exercise.

I have seen people lose weight by WALKING, but I'm talking walking a couple hours a day, which is not realistic for most people.  I actually think walking is better for weight loss than running, because running burns sugar and dietary carbs, while walking can burn fat directly.

To make a specific reference to something in the public domain, there is a commercial being aired constantly now by the makers of a walking machine (it looks like a cross between a treadmill and an elliptical machine).  They claim that it burns 500 calories per hour MORE than either a treadmill or a cross-trainer, AND that people are losing 40 pounds after buying one of them (diet is not mentioned).

Also they show people walking on these machines, grinning like idiots, and claiming they are getting the best workouts of their lives.

This is a blatant misrepresentation of reality.  There is no fucking way that machine burns more than a treadmill, or that people are losing "40 pounds" ONLY using the machine, which is clearly the representation they are making.

This pisses me off.  The implication is that people who seriously work out several times a week are STUPID for not seeing that this goofy machine is the best way to lose weight and get in shape.

They should be shot.


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## BlackSand (Mar 21, 2014)

pacer said:


> This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> 
> "...some of us who are really interested in making changes can post articles and ideas...and make support friends to PM privately when we need to have extra encouragement." (drifter)
> 
> ...



One of the aspects talked about in the article was the "ebb and flow" in regards to motivation.
Something a lot of people don't realize is that they will not feel better after about two weeks.

It takes time for your body to adjust to the new routine ... And working out will make you feel better in a lot of ways.
There is still a threshold you have to get past concerning the ability for your body to transform from a rather stationary machine to an effective fat burning machine.

You will feel like crap from about the second week of steady exercise well into the first month and a half.
Your muscles will be sore from building ... Your metabolism will be screwed up from diet changes and the reassigning of fuel use.
Fatigue can be more noticeable at times ... And you can actually feel worse when it is time to exercise again.

Get past that transition period and you will be home free ... The way you feel between exercises sessions won't be as bad.
Your body will eventually shift to the new demands ... And will get settled into the new routine ... Making you feel better all the time.
In fact ... You may actually start to feel worse when you skip your routine exercise session.

.


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## BlackSand (Mar 21, 2014)

DGS49 said:


> My logic behind my statement that "You cannot lose weight by exercise."  Some of these numbers are in dispute, but it's hasically like this:
> 
> A 175 pound man burns an EXTRA (above basal metabolism) 100 calories per mile of running.  If he runs three miles three times per week, that's an EXTRA 900 calories burned per week.  In four weeks, he has burned an extra 3,600 calories, roughly equivalent to ONE POUND.
> 
> ...



The best way to lose weight while exercising is what is called intermittent fasting.
It works in regards to what you are talking about with calorie usage ... And how to get your body to start burning fat stored over fuel intake.

The way it works is simple ... You have eight hours a day to eat (there is also alternate day fasting).
It doesn't matter when you start eating as long as you stop eating for the day within eight hours.
You eat a regular healthy diet combined with a normal exercise routine ... But you don't eat anything for the 16 hour stretch in between.

This will trigger the transition between burning stored fat and caloric intake ... And you only have to do it until you start to lose an acceptable amount of weight.
Once the transition is triggered ... The body will burn some of both stored and intake fuel.
Excess intake fuel with be discarded with waste as normal ... But you have to trigger the response for your body to properly manage fuel concerning weight loss.

.


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## Luddly Neddite (Mar 21, 2014)

Roudy said:


> AquaAthena said:
> 
> 
> > pacer said:
> ...



I eat bread, pasta, brown rice, corn, drink alcohol, eat strictly vegetarian, usually vegan  ... predictor says 94.

George Bernard Shaw said that was a downer about being vegetarian - that he outlived his friends. 

I say, do what works for you. We all make choices every single day. My family is loaded with heart disease, cancer, diabetes so I made conscious decisions that address that. 

We all know we shouldn't eat as much as we do, we know we shouldn't eat meat and we know smoking kills. 

Its all pretty easy really.


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## Luddly Neddite (Mar 21, 2014)

DGS49 said:


> My logic behind my statement that "You cannot lose weight by exercise."  Some of these numbers are in dispute, but it's hasically like this:
> 
> A 175 pound man burns an EXTRA (above basal metabolism) 100 calories per mile of running.  If he runs three miles three times per week, that's an EXTRA 900 calories burned per week.  In four weeks, he has burned an extra 3,600 calories, roughly equivalent to ONE POUND.
> 
> ...



To be more exact, losing weight by burning calories in exercise does not work. It just doesn't. 

Remember when we looked at calories expended by Olympic champions? It was damn depressing and that's not the biggest reason for exercise. 

After my knee surgery, I did PT. Got on a bike and pedaled like my life was at stake and I'll be damned if after a gazillion miles, I had burned something like 25 calories. 

I still work out every day, use a gazelle and a bike. Our lake house is on a very hilly  peninsula. I swear, its uphill both ways so I don't do the walking here that I used to. So, I do other exercise. Our exercise equipment faces out over the lake so its easy to just watch the eagles and pedal away.


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## Roudy (Mar 21, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Roudy said:
> 
> 
> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
> ...


There are many ways to do cardio that is just as effective as running, but with minimal or no impact on knees, ankles, and lower back. Horizontal bikes, the elliptical machines at the gym, swimming, etc are examples of that. But like you said, for people who are severely overweight, or as they say morbidly obese, then strict diet is definitely the number one important thing, and some form of bariatric surgery, if possible. But many who are severely overweight do not even qualify for those surgeries because they also have other health issues such as heart problems, or diabetes etc. which makes surgery a huge risk that no surgeon would accept.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 22, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> auditor0007 said:
> 
> 
> > Roudy said:
> ...



The only time I run the streets is when I run actual races.  The rest of the time I run the trails because concrete is just too hard on the knees.  While Toledo doesn't offer much, it does offer one of the best Metropark system's in the country.  We have fantastic running trails and bike paths at about ten different parks throughout the metro area.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 22, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> auditor0007 said:
> 
> 
> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
> ...



That's why it is important to start out slowly and build up.  Secondly, being too aggressive in the beginning can be very dangerous.  The heart needs to be strengthened gradually before going all out.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 22, 2014)

Roudy said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > auditor0007 said:
> ...



This is very important; it doesn't matter if you are trying to lose weight or just improve your health, lifting weights is as important as the cardio.  While cardio helps drop pounds, which are mostly fat, weightlifting helps build muscle.  It's important to understand that it takes more calories to support muscle than fat, so increasing muscle mass will increase metabolism even while resting.  Secondly, when a person begins to lose weight, they lose mostly fat but also some muscle, so it is important to make certain there is no long term loss of muscle.  Weight training a couple days per week in addition to the cardio is an absolute necessity.  

As with cardio, you should start your weight training regimen slowly.  You need to work all muscle groups, so a full workout should take about 45 minutes.  When starting out, you should lift enough weight so that you can perform at least 15 reps per set.  As you become stronger, increase the weight so that you can only do 8 to 10 reps per set.  If you follow this routine, you will gain some muscle, but mostly you will just tone and strengthen current muscle.  You are not likely to add a lot of muscle.  To add a lot of muscle, you would need to lift heavier amounts of weight so that you max out at about 3 or 4 reps per set, and you also have to have the right body type to build serious muscle.  If you naturally have the body of runner and have smaller bones, adding large amounts of muscle is not very likely.  It's important to work your body based on your body type.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 22, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Roudy said:
> 
> 
> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
> ...



I disagree with this.  If you want to lose weight, you need to do cardio every day.  You are correct that a person should start out slow and build up, but I would recommend cardio at minimum four days per week.  For those who are severely overweight, the treadmill is probably not the best way to get your cardio workout in, nor is running.  Use an elliptical or ARC Trainer.  The problem with running when you are very overweight is that you are risking doing damage to your knees.  The Elliptical and ARC Trainer do not put much pressure on the knees and you can burn as many calories as you can running.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> Kevin_Kennedy said:
> 
> 
> > Roudy said:
> ...



I need to tone up. I quit working out when my sister died in June.

All winter I ate shitty and slept all the time.

I have been eating better now and since this thread started I went to the gym one time.

My problem seems to be lethargy.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 22, 2014)

DGS49 said:


> My logic behind my statement that "You cannot lose weight by exercise."  Some of these numbers are in dispute, but it's hasically like this:
> 
> A 175 pound man burns an EXTRA (above basal metabolism) 100 calories per mile of running.  If he runs three miles three times per week, that's an EXTRA 900 calories burned per week.  In four weeks, he has burned an extra 3,600 calories, roughly equivalent to ONE POUND.
> 
> ...



Any machine can help a person burn calories, but you actually have to work hard to burn those calories.  A person can get on a treadmill and walk at a pace of 3.0 miles per hour.  In one hour, they will burn about 375 calories.  On the other hand, I run for 30 minutes at about 8.0 to 8.5 miles per hour and burn about 450 calories.  The problem is that if you don't push yourself, all you will burn are those few calories.  If you are pushing yourself to the limit for at least parts of your workout, then you will continue burning calories throughout the day.  

I laugh to myself when I see people walking on the treadmill at 2.5 miles per hour while reading a book.  Granted, it's better than them doing nothing, but they are not coming close to getting the full benefit of a workout.  When I'm done with a cardio workout, I'm drenched in sweat and I've lost a pound or two in sweat.  Of course, I will drink that amount to rehydrate, so it's not a permanent loss.  Another thing I find humorous is when people wear a full sweatsuit to workout in so they can sweat more.  Losing water weight only creates a temporary loss.  Also the body overheats if the workout is aggressive.  The body sweats to cool itself.  Trapping all that heat works against the body trying to cool itself.


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## BlackSand (Mar 22, 2014)

drifter said:


> I need to tone up. I quit working out when my sister died in June.
> 
> All winter I ate shitty and slept all the time.
> 
> ...



In some cases ... Joining a gym is not the best way to start an exercise routine.
Gyms have benefits like community and easy access to equipment ... But they usually have one major drawback when starting a routine.

*The drawback is making yourself go.*

If you pick a gym that is on the way home from work it isn't that bad.
But ... If you have to make a detour or leave your house to go to the gym ... That can be a deterrent for some people.
If you are having problems with motivation or just getting up and going ... The idea that you have to make a trip to the gym can set you back and keep you from wanting to go.

In reality for some folks ... The time it takes for you to get from the thought of working out to the point you start working can be crucial when starting a new exercise regimen.
They have to make it very accessible and remove the opportunity to think about it too long ... Make excuses not to go ... Or just decide it is not worth the trouble getting to the gym at the moment.

The best thing these people can do is start off small with exercises that produce results ... But don't require a lot of equipment.
Believe it or not ... Standard exercises like sit-ups, push-ups and whatnot do work and have been used by the military for ages.
Cardio exercises like walking or jogging can be added initially to get your body in the mood for exercise.

Once you have made that transition to regular exercise ... It becomes easier to maintain a steady schedule at a gym or any other routine.
You don't ever want the trip to the gym to transform into an excuse not to go ... Especially if you have already paid for a membership.

Another thing you can investigate if you have the money and the space at your house ... Is buying your own equipment once you know you are going to stick with it.
I have a Bowflex and a NordicTrack at the house ... And having the equipment easy access helps out a lot.
If scheduling concerns arise that throw me off my regular routine ... It doesn't matter and I can still get to it before I go to bed.

If you are ready to exercise and just cannot get going ... It is also good to investigate swimming as an option ... Very low impact on the joints, great cardio and an awesome fuel burner.
Plus ... If you look like crap in a swimsuit, but want to stick with exercise ... It is a great motivator ... Especially when you get to buy a new swimsuit.

*Edit:*
You also mentioned just wanting to tone up ... The exercise you choose can assist with that.
Pick an exercise that targets the area you want to tone ... Find a comfortable middle weight to use.
Increase reps instead of overall weight as it becomes easier ... You can also double the reps and reduce the weight if you are still gaining more bulk than tone.

.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

BlackSand said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > I need to tone up. I quit working out when my sister died in June.
> ...



Yeah I always feel better when I workout.

From a mental standpoint it makes the rest of my day great and from a physical standpoint a lot more energy.

When my sister died in June I think I got grief stricken so bad that I just wanted to shut off from the world and I just slept a lot and watched netflix.

Now I am starting to feel better but not all the way and so maybe you are right working out at home might be better for me right now, school is about as social as I can get right now.

The thing is I share the house with several people and it gets on my nerves when I am working out and they come in and out of the room.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 22, 2014)

Like drifter, I also lost many family members last year (sil, aunt, dad and mom between May 20 and June 10, hubs uncle late June, both my brothers had their cats put down in Oct, my mother's last living sibling her oldest sister 12/14, hubs aunt 12/24).  Like many in this situation I gained some poundage.  

My eating and exercise routine went out the window and after mid-July or so I found it impossible to do much of anything ... stopped exercising, stopped watching what I ate, stopped cooking, sat around most of the time.  For some reason going to the grocery store became very difficult for me.  I would just get so freaking sad there.  Maybe because I was usually by myself and was just grieving but I avoided it as much as possible.  

From Sept on tried many, many times to get some semblance of an exercise routine going and failed every time.  Eating right wasn't any better.   Cripes, the poor dogs have even been affected as their daily dog walks became practically non-existent.  

Am slowly starting to get back to exercising and eating right.  Sometimes it's two steps forward, one step backwards.  I'll take that.

There are still days that I am too tired to even try.  I don't know if it's still part of the grieving process or that I'm not getting enough sleep.  Maybe both?

Prior to all this I had a great routine of walking/running on the treadmill (had even run 5K a few times on there!) and a variety of strength, hiit, cross training, yoga workouts plus nearly daily dog walks of 1.5 miles.  Now I'm just trying to walk a brisk pace for 1/2 hour on the tm and doing some yoga and pilates to get myself moving.  Some days are better than others. 

I've been down this (weight loss) road before and know what it takes to see results ... it's just harder this time.

I can tell you that motivation is fleeting, determination and commitment are what will get you to your goals. 

I've always been a calorie counter type because that's what works for me.  1500/day is my goal and know that once I lose even 5 lbs that often pushes me to stay on track.  Also, sticking with a strict number of cals per day can cause plateaus after some time, so zig-zagging your cals (eating say 1300 one day, 1600 the next, 1450, the next, etc) can help get past that.  Kind of like what interval workouts do, keep your body from becoming used to everything.

Great thread, pacer.  Thanks for starting it.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Like drifter, I also lost many family members last year (sil, aunt, dad and mom between May 20 and June 10, hubs uncle late June, both my brothers had their cats put down in Oct, my mother's last living sibling her oldest sister 12/14, hubs aunt 12/24).  Like many in this situation I gained some poundage.
> 
> My eating and exercise routine went out the window and after mid-July or so I found it impossible to do much of anything ... stopped exercising, stopped watching what I ate, stopped cooking, sat around most of the time.  For some reason going to the grocery store became very difficult for me.  I would just get so freaking sad there.  Maybe because I was usually by myself and was just grieving but I avoided it as much as possible.
> 
> ...



 we're in the same boat, I lost my cousin oct 2012, then my dad jan 2013 and my cat jan 2013 (two days apart) and then my sister june 2013.

I was still functioning and exercising but when my sister died (suicide) I lost all interest in anything. I just slept alot and watched netflix and posted. Everything felt like a big effort to even get out of bed.

Going to school was as much energy as I could expand.

In the back of my mind I know getting back into my exercise would help me mentally and physically. 

But it's been real hard to do.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 22, 2014)

drifter said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > Like drifter, I also lost many family members last year (sil, aunt, dad and mom between May 20 and June 10, hubs uncle late June, both my brothers had their cats put down in Oct, my mother's last living sibling her oldest sister 12/14, hubs aunt 12/24).  Like many in this situation I gained some poundage.
> ...



I knew about your sister (she and my mom died the same day last year ) but didn't know about your cousin, dad and cat.  I'm so sorry, d.  

The bolded?  THIS.  EXACTLY.  I know what needs to be done but . . . it's just _so hard_.  

The weather today is nice (I live in SE PA, lonng snowy winter) and today is one of about 4 or 5 days since last summer that I've felt good, like myself.  Maybe spring will help with everything and these days will come around more frequently.  I'm hoping anyway.

The toll of last year was so great ... it will take quite some time before our selves recover from it.  We have to give ourselves that time.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > Zoom-boing said:
> ...



It changes You that many deaths in a year.

I used to be more concerned about myself than others in the sense that their problems "annoyed" me and now I wish more then anything I would have been a better person and set aside my own goals to nurture others more effectively.


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## Derideo_Te (Mar 22, 2014)

Never was big on exercise and never needed to because my lifestyle was active. Sailing, hiking, mountain climbing, riding a motorbike, diving, swimming and occasionally surfing. Gradually those activities dropped off for one reason or another and even then it wasn't a problem because I still did active walking whenever I could. But I began to slowly gain weight at about 2 lbs a year on average. It was quite insidious because it wasn't obvious. A slightly larger size when I bought pants or shirts that needed replacing. 

It wasn't until I had a sleep study that diagnosed sleep apnea that I realized just how tired I was on a regular basis. I was also pre-diabetic. Worked with my doctor to change my lifestyle to stop that trend and I did turn it around but that weight gain persisted. 

About a year ago my weight went over 250 and even though I am 6'3" that was too much for me. I knew that I was getting regular exercise so increasing it wasn't going to make much in the way of a difference. I also refuse to diet because that never works in the long run.

Instead I opted to change my portion sizes. Yes, I am older and my metabolism has slowed down. So I just made the mental resolve to dish smaller portions for myself. I also knew that I wasn't going to see any immediate results but I weigh myself every day before taking a shower. I still eat everything that I used to eat but in smaller amounts than before, and yes, occasionally I will go for seconds if it is one of my favorite foods. But I also find that I can sometimes skip a meal without it being a problem. A couple of pieces or dried fruit or some nuts suffice if I am too busy to take a break. I don't find myself overeating either. I am also a big fan of soups and they are both tasty and filling and I am always willing to have soup for dinner.

So the net result is between 5 and 10 lbs down so far. Yes, it fluctuates from day to day but it is somewhere in that range. I am tightening my belts another notch. Clothes feel looser. I am never hungry. I don't miss any of my favorite foods. It has become a habit to eat less.


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## Sarah G (Mar 22, 2014)

Everyone knows the 10,000 steps a day healthy heart theory.  I just installed a pedometer app on my phone.  I figure I have it with me all the time anyway, we'll see how it goes.


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## pacer (Mar 22, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Great thread, pacer.  Thanks for starting it.


I certainly cannot take all the credit.  drifter and I came up with the idea in another forum and brought it here.  I am glad you find this thread helpful, Zoom.

I too lost my mother in June of last year.  It was very painful to watch her slowly deteriorate.  After she died, I went through a period of feeling down about everything.  I couldn't care less about myself or my appearance.  I have this website to be thankful for keeping me focused and getting me out of the slump I was in.  I joined in the fall and now I can't get away from it.  I too need to get motivated.  My problem is I spend much too much time at this computer.  Once the warm weather comes, I am determined to do a lot more walking.


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## Tresha91203 (Mar 22, 2014)

I used to weigh 225 lbs and I am 5'4". I dislike exercise and love greasy cheesy stuff primarily.  My first go'round I starved myself, started my diet at 1000 calories per day. I dropped 75 lbs then could not drop anymore and could not really reduce calories anymore. I was so close but could not get there. Even worse, my body fought to gain, and I started creeping back up despite low intake. I got frustrated and gave up. More pounds, depression and more pounds. It had been so hard and taken a year and I just could not make myself start that diet again.  Eventually, I got back up to 199 and ... just ... no f'ing way was I going to hit that dreaded 200.

Round 2.  I just started moving. I did not change my diet first this time, just moved and got the heartrate up. I actually did this housecleaning. The real kind, not a swiffer and a Clorox wipe kind. I spent half an hour a day at it.  I started dropping a little. Then I made some dietary changes. I started putting a spoonful of hot chocolate mix in my coffee in the morning to satisfy the chocolate craving and it worked. Low calorie and satisfying.  Then I got cheese, real cheese, but did not melt it over junk. That replaced the nacho, cheeseburger, pizza fix and it also satisfied. I got out in the sun, on the riding mower. It wasn't actually exercise but I swear the sunshine helped a lot.  Next came hard boiled eggs as a munchie, which also satisfied and did not feel diet.  Later came pita and hummus, guacamole and pita chips, apples and cucumbers. I made small adjustments, taking out something (chips and cheese dip) and replacing with something that felt similar (pita chips and guacamole). While I did not focus on calories and fat, strictly, I did try to choose something healthier than what I was replacing.

Fast forward a year, down to 135 lbs and not starving. I eat more often but a lot of that is refrigerator grazing: eggs, cheeses, cucumbers, apples, pita and pita chips, hummus and guacamole, single pudding packs, etc. It got easier to move around and I find I move a lot more because I want to or have energy I need to burn that makes me need to move. 3 years later and I am still there, fluctuating between 130 and 140. That sounds like a big swing, but it really doesn't show on clothes and I can swing from one to the other in a couple of days, seemingly at random. 

The thing for me this time is that my body did not fight me to hold the weight.  Now, if I'm busy or we are eating out, I can have that cheeseburger, although I can rarely finish it.  I don't want it 2 days in a row anymore and I feel sluggish and uncomfortable if I eat too much grease.

I work till 7pm so don't cook much at all. Eating better had to be easy for me. I am a grazer, so just made sure I had filling, satisfying, quick snacks. I don't worry about the fats in avacados or nuts because they are healthy and good for me. It has been pretty easy to maintain and I am not constantly hungry like the first round.  I eat a lot of protein now, which satisfies. I have to be conscious to keep the raw fruits (apples and bananas are my top 2) and raw veggies (cucumbers, squashes and tomatoes) up because I tend to go for proteins first. 

I can't really say that I eat healthy or balanced, but it is certainly more healthy and more balanced than my past ... and it was pretty painless.  My vices were chocolate and greasy cheesy foods, and that's what worked for me.


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## Luddly Neddite (Mar 22, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> Everyone knows the 10,000 steps a day healthy heart theory.  I just installed a pedometer app on my phone.  I figure I have it with me all the time anyway, we'll see how it goes.



I use that too. Really like it as a way to judge how active I am. 

=====================



> ... The more overweight you are the more cardio you need to do...



Not good advice at all.  

If _"you"_ are very overweight, do not jump into an aggressive cardio workout without talking to your doctor first.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

Got a workout in today


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## AquaAthena (Mar 22, 2014)

drifter said:


> Got a workout in today



 I'll bet you felt good afterwards?? Here is what was going on in your beautiful body:



Ever wonder what is going on chemically in the body while you sweat it out at the gym? The euphoric feelings during and after exercise, as well as the muscle soreness that might just come a day later, don't just appear magically. Your body is made up of millions of chemical reactions, which result in different physical and mental feelings. *Take a look at some of the top hormones and chemicals that are released when you workout.*
*
Endorphins*

These chemicals are released by your pituitary gland, which is located in the base of your brain. Endorphins make you feel exhilarated and happy and block any feelings of pain, so you can power through any discomfort caused by exercising. That's why people become addicted to strenuous forms of exercises and experience "runner's high."
*
Estrogen*

Estrogen determines whether carbs or fat fuel the body during an intense exercise session. Women tend to burn fat for fuel, while men tend to burn carbs, because women have higher estrogen levels. When women undergo menopause, they usually experience some weight gain because of lowered estrogen levels.

*See more chemicals released while exercising.*

*Dopamine*

_*Dopamine is a pleasure chemical.   *Studies have found that a brain with a dopamine receptor deficiency is more prone to weight gain, because eating quickly easily raises dopamine levels. Those with fewer receptors need more dopamine in the bloodstream (aka more food) to reach the same level of satisfaction as someone with a normal amount. This is even more reason to work out regularly to keep those dopamine levels up in order to keep overeating and weight gain at bay. *Domamine is often associated with orgasms.* Working out helps stimulate the production of dopamine, and increased levels of dopamine combined with core, quads, thighs, and pelvic muscle exercises may result in a "coregasm."_

*Growth Factors*

Growth factors are the hormone-like compounds that work with satellite cells to help stimulate and regulate production of more muscle. Growth factors like hepatocyte, fibroblast, and insulin send signals to the satellite cells to move to the damaged muscle area, repair the damage following exercise, and regulate muscle mass growth, respectively.
*
Serotonin*

A chemical responsible for happiness, restful sleep, and a healthy appetite, serotonin levels will increase if you work out regularly. Serotonin works with endorphins to make working out a pleasurable activity. In addition, more serotonin means more energy and clearer thinking. 

Hormones Released After Working Out


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## Michelle420 (Mar 22, 2014)

AquaAthena said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > Got a workout in today
> ...



I feel glad I did it


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 22, 2014)

pacer said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > Great thread, pacer.  Thanks for starting it.
> ...



I didn't know this, p.  I am so sorry for your loss.    It is never easy even if death is a release from physical pain and even if it is, ultimately, a blessing.

Me too!  I know a big part of my problem is this vortexofsuckcalledtheinternet.    I'm trying to find routine again.  Other than getting the two youngest out the door by 7am I have no discernible routine.  It doesn't help that my oldest kid and husband's schedule changes every stinking week either!

I have found (in the past) that with exercise getting in, getting done, then moving on with my day is thee best schedule for me.   If I put if off ... I'll just keep putting it off.  

Oh and this too:


----------



## auditor0007 (Mar 23, 2014)

drifter said:


> auditor0007 said:
> 
> 
> > Kevin_Kennedy said:
> ...



Sorry to hear about your sister.  I lost my wife going on twelve years now, so I know how it is to lose someone close to you.  It does take a toll and some time, but your outlook on life should improve over time.  As for motivation to work out, that really is something you must find within.  Nobody can force you to go to the gym or park to workout or run.  It really is up to you. When I stopped smoking and started working out and running, my first immediate goal was to run and finish the local Thanksgiving Day 5K.  I had just over three months to prepare.  It took me one month to get to the point where I could actually run three miles without stopping, and I was fighting some bad knee pain.  I really only could run two days per week, but I would work out on the ARC Trainer at the gym the other days while my knees recovered.  Anyway, when it came to race day, I said I wanted to finish my first 5K in under 27 minutes.  I knew I was pushing it because I had only been training for three months and my lungs were only partially on their way to recovery.  I hit my first mile in 8:05 but it got tougher after that.  When I hit the two mile marker, I was at 17:10 and I was struggling.  I kept it up though, and crossed the finish line in 26:59, beating my goal by one whole second.  

Now, I will tell you that I am quite competitive, whether it be against others or just myself.  I trained the rest of the winter at the gym, and once Spring broke, I started running outside again.  My knee pain was still there, but it just disappeared about  two weeks after I started running outside in the Spring.  I never had any swelling with the pain, so I think it was just a matter of getting my joints used to it and building the muscle around those joints.  I have had no knee problems since then.  As summer hit, I ran my second 5K.  I wasn't certain how fast I would be, but my goal was to break 24 minutes.  I did not make it.  I finished in 24:45 and was very disappointed and upset.  The thing was that my first mile was great.  I passed the first mile marker in 7:12 or so, but then I just died the rest of the way.  I still didn't have the stamina to keep up such a steady pace.  In August, I ran another 5K, and that time, I did much better as my time dropped all the way down to 23:30.  Now I was making some real progress.  By Thanksgiving, I was ready to see how much I had improved over one full year.  I finished my second Thanksgiving Day 5K in 22:11.  That was nearly a 5 minute improvement over the prior year. 

Since then, I have been stuck around 22 minutes.  I had plantar fasciitis that lasted four months last year, so that really held me back.  Anyway, I'm hoping to change my workout routine this year by doing more interval training and also doing a long run every week where I run at least ten miles.  My goal now is to break 21 minutes, although I'm not sure I will ever hit that.  If I do not, it won't be the end of the world.  I'm enjoying running and I've made many a new friend because of it.  And my health could not be better.  

In the beginning, you really need to force yourself to workout or run, or whatever it is you are doing to exercise.  As you begin to see positive results, it will give you more motivation to continue.  Eventually it just becomes an addiction, but at least it's a good addiction.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 23, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Like drifter, I also lost many family members last year (sil, aunt, dad and mom between May 20 and June 10, hubs uncle late June, both my brothers had their cats put down in Oct, my mother's last living sibling her oldest sister 12/14, hubs aunt 12/24).  Like many in this situation I gained some poundage.
> 
> My eating and exercise routine went out the window and after mid-July or so I found it impossible to do much of anything ... stopped exercising, stopped watching what I ate, stopped cooking, sat around most of the time.  For some reason going to the grocery store became very difficult for me.  I would just get so freaking sad there.  Maybe because I was usually by myself and was just grieving but I avoided it as much as possible.
> 
> ...



After my wife died, I dated a number of women.  I went through some very serious grief over the first six months, ups and downs and all.  I hit bottom at around six months and then slowly began crawling out of it.  After dating a couple different women, I had just broken up with this women when another woman contacted me on a dating site.  There began a very interesting and wonderful relationship.  While it didn't work out in the end, I will always consider her a wonderful friend.  Distance was part of our problem as I was living in Denver at the time, and she lived in Glasgow.  Yea, Scotland, lol.  That is what you call a very very long distance relationship.  

Anyway, the reason I am bringing her up is that like myself, she was also widowed.  I knew that she had loved her husband dearly, but she said something to me that made me stop and think.  She said that life is for the living.  We cannot change it for those who are no longer with us, but we can enjoy life to its fullest while we are here, or we can wallow in our sadness.  

A year after my wife died, we had another tragedy on our street.  My two boys who were only 5 and 7 at the time had two friends who lived a few houses down from us.  My boys were at their house almost every single day of the week.  Over the July 4th holiday, their Dad took them camping.  A couple days later, one of the neighbors was at my door to inform me that the two boys and their father had died in a plane crash.  The father had his pilot's license and had flown them up to Idaho.  As they were taking off to head home, something went wrong and the plane went down.  I had to tell my boys their two best friends were gone, not quite a year after their Mom had died.  The wife/mother was in Las Vegas that weekend.  She had gone there for her mother's birthday, so she was not with her husband and children.  She lost her entire family.  I thought she would never recover, but she has remarried and she and her new husband adopted three kids.  

So, while we cannot ignore grief, and it must run its course, we must also keep our grief in perspective and realize that we are still here and have a life to live.  Sometimes it isn't easy, but the truth is there is more good than bad out there.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 23, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Like drifter, I also lost many family members last year (sil, aunt, dad and mom between May 20 and June 10, hubs uncle late June, both my brothers had their cats put down in Oct, my mother's last living sibling her oldest sister 12/14, hubs aunt 12/24).  Like many in this situation I gained some poundage.
> 
> My eating and exercise routine went out the window and after mid-July or so I found it impossible to do much of anything ... stopped exercising, stopped watching what I ate, stopped cooking, sat around most of the time.  For some reason going to the grocery store became very difficult for me.  I would just get so freaking sad there.  Maybe because I was usually by myself and was just grieving but I avoided it as much as possible.
> 
> ...



I'm not big on counting calories but everyone has to do what works best for them.  I eat over 3000 calories per day.  That's about all the counting I need to do.  One thing that I have heard and know works for many people is to have what is known as a cheat day, one day per week.  Basically, you eat what you want on that day and ignore your calorie count.  Just don't get stupid with it.  The point is to trick the body into believing it is not being starved.  If you limit calories all the time, the body will go into starvation mode and hoard all fat stores because it believes it is being starved.  By having a cheat day, the body relaxes and you will get a much greater benefit from all the days where you are cutting calories.  It's similar to what you said about changing the calorie counts from day to day, but this is a bit more drastic.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 23, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> pacer said:
> 
> 
> > Zoom-boing said:
> ...



I keep missing that ab exercise, lol.  I guess that is why I can't seem to drop those last two inches from my gut.  My biggest issue is that I really do not want to drop too many more pounds.  I'm 5'7" and I'm at 139 lbs right now.  According to my scale, my body fat percentage is between 16 and 17  percent.  The thing is besides that extra couple of inches on my waistline, I'm fairly slender.


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## Sarah G (Mar 23, 2014)

I found another app that shows your pulse while you're working out.  

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...your+pulse&gs_l=hp....0.0.0.10205...........0.


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## pacer (Mar 23, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> I didn't know this, p.  I am so sorry for your loss.    It is never easy even if death is a release from physical pain and even if it is, ultimately, a blessing.
> 
> Me too!  I know a big part of my problem is this vortexofsuckcalledtheinternet.    I'm trying to find routine again.  Other than getting the two youngest out the door by 7am I have no discernible routine.  It doesn't help that my oldest kid and husband's schedule changes every stinking week either!
> 
> I have found (in the past) that with exercise getting in, getting done, then moving on with my day is thee best schedule for me.   If I put if off ... I'll just keep putting it off.


I too am very sorry for your loss, Zoom.  Huggies to you.    It is never easy, as you say.  I tried preparing myself emotionally for my mother's passing during the months I spent caring for her but when the evitable day came, I was emotionally overwhelmed.  Since her passing, I seem to have lost my zest for life.  But, I am determined to break the internet habit and get out and do things come the warmer weather.  I only need to take the first step and not get on this computer in the morning with my coffee.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 24, 2014)

I recently treated myself to an ipod touch 5th gen (had Target gift cards, they had a $30 gift card with the pod, I used my daughters employee discount, so I got the pod and two cases for $155.  Not too shabby!).

Anyway, there are lots and lots of apps out there.  I downloaded a few ... _Waterlogged _keeps track of how much water you've had for the day; _Lose It!_ is like _FitDay_ or any number of apps that allow you to keep track of food and cals eaten for the day and there's  also a place to enter exercise in;  _Daily Yoga_ gives different yoga routines and includes a good amount of beginner exercises; _Blogilates_ has a boatload of various exercise routines covers nearly everything.  I've done some of her stuff previously; _Zombies Run _I accidentally bought this (which is one of the reasons I decided to get the ipod touch so I could use the app) and am going to try this in a bit. Anyone else use it?; _Interval Timer_ is just that, an interval timer you can set to do hiit intervals or walk/run intervals, etc; some exercise and weight loss hypnosis apps.  All these apps are the free version (I like to try stuff out before spending any money).  

I used the water app and food app yesterday.  Drank 64oz and stayed under the cals.  Baby steps, one day at a time.

The past two days I've felt better (physically, mentally, emotionally) than I have the past 10 months.  It is helping tremendously that the weather is finally, FINALLY improving.  Longest freaking winter of my life.

One day at a time.


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## Sarah G (Mar 24, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> I recently treated myself to an ipod touch 5th gen (had Target gift cards, they had a $30 gift card with the pod, I used my daughters employee discount, so I got the pod and two cases for $155.  Not too shabby!).
> 
> Anyway, there are lots and lots of apps out there.  I downloaded a few ... _Waterlogged _keeps track of how much water you've had for the day; _Lose It!_ is like _FitDay_ or any number of apps that allow you to keep track of food and cals eaten for the day and there's  also a place to enter exercise in;  _Daily Yoga_ gives different yoga routines and includes a good amount of beginner exercises; _Blogilates_ has a boatload of various exercise routines covers nearly everything.  I've done some of her stuff previously; _Zombies Run _I accidentally bought this (which is one of the reasons I decided to get the ipod touch so I could use the app) and am going to try this in a bit. Anyone else use it?; _Interval Timer_ is just that, an interval timer you can set to do hiit intervals or walk/run intervals, etc; some exercise and weight loss hypnosis apps.  All these apps are the free version (I like to try stuff out before spending any money).
> 
> ...



Some of those apps are really good.  I don't know what it is about water but when I start drinking a lot, I feel so much better.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 24, 2014)

Sarah G said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > I recently treated myself to an ipod touch 5th gen (had Target gift cards, they had a $30 gift card with the pod, I used my daughters employee discount, so I got the pod and two cases for $155.  Not too shabby!).
> ...



I notice that mah wrinkles are uh, less noticeable.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 24, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> I used the water app and food app yesterday.  Drank 64oz and stayed under the cals.  Baby steps, one day at a time.
> 
> The past two days I've felt better (physically, mentally, emotionally) than I have the past 10 months.  It is helping tremendously that the weather is finally, FINALLY improving.  Longest freaking winter of my life.
> 
> One day at a time.



Me to, I went for long walk and it felt great, I also worked out two times since this thread started.

I drink a lot of water everyday. 

If I put my music on the next thing you know I want to get moving 

Also it's been really helpful to read what you have to say because we both have felt  such deep grief. Me, You and Pacer all lost a loved one in June, pretty weird.


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## mamooth (Mar 25, 2014)

I'm working to heal a groin pull injury. Resting it for a month didn't help at all, so I decided to go the other way and exercise it. It was painful and kind of crippling at first, but I kept at it. And it's working. I ran 8 miles the other day, at a decent 9:30/mile pace. Decent for me, at least. I'll make it a goal to hit a 9:00 pace. I can still feel the injury, but it's fading.

I am also losing some weight. That helps. And I'm dropping some upper body muscle by lifting much less. Less wear on the legs and back that way. We have to make these tradeoffs as we get older.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 25, 2014)

drifter said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > I used the water app and food app yesterday.  Drank 64oz and stayed under the cals.  Baby steps, one day at a time.
> ...


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 25, 2014)

So I"ve done the Zombies Run! twice so far.  Still figuring it out but it seems like a fun way to keep one motivated while running/walking.  I haven't gotten chased by any zombies yet. 

I like the waterlogged and food app I added.  Except the food app deducts exercise cals from food cals (in effect, it lets you eat your exercise calories back) which I don't like to do.  Think I'll stick to tracking my workouts separately.  The apps are simple, easy to use, lets you see at a glance how much you've had.  Works for me.


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## auditor0007 (Mar 27, 2014)

drifter said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > I used the water app and food app yesterday.  Drank 64oz and stayed under the cals.  Baby steps, one day at a time.
> ...



That is a start.  Making it a habit is the key.  Good luck.  Anything you can do will help.  If you can't find the time to work out or do some type of cardio on a given day, at least do 100 to 200 pushups and 100 situps.  Break them down into sets that you can handle.  If you can only do 10 pushups, then do 10 sets of pushups of ten reps per set.  You can do them throughout the day.  Just do them.  As for the pushups, if you have a day when you do 100 to 200, do not do them two days in a row.  Take a break the next day and use that day as a weight training day.  Do cardio the next couple of days.


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 27, 2014)

Another thing I'm trying to do is go to bed earlier.  During the week I'm up at 5:30am and getting to sleep by 10:30pm, rather than 11:30pm, seems to be making a big difference in how I feel/function the next day.


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## Kevin_Kennedy (Mar 27, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Another thing I'm trying to do is go to bed earlier.  During the week I'm up at 5:30am and getting to sleep by 10:30pm, rather than 11:30pm, seems to be making a big difference in how I feel/function the next day.



One of the most important things you can do.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 28, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > Zoom-boing said:
> ...



Thanks, I am just happy if I get out and do some cardio.

Like Zoom said, just being able to get out has been a miracle.

I don't know how people recover so fast after death but I am grateful for everyone's encouragement to get going,

It has helped and this actually surprised me I am so glad thanks.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 28, 2014)

pacer said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > I didn't know this, p.  I am so sorry for your loss.    It is never easy even if death is a release from physical pain and even if it is, ultimately, a blessing.
> ...



It has been helpful to read what you and zoom are going through in your grief.

I felt so alone in my grief with all the deaths in my family.

Since we all want to get through it and get back on track it has been such a good support for me, and I hope for both of you too.


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## Michelle420 (Mar 28, 2014)

auditor0007 said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > auditor0007 said:
> ...



Thanks for sharing your experience with me. 

I am sorry for your loss, but it helps to know over time it gets better.


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## Zander (Mar 28, 2014)

I just imagine that I have a date with Zuzka (see below) , and I have to take my shirt off......


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 28, 2014)

Kevin_Kennedy said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > Another thing I'm trying to do is go to bed earlier.  During the week I'm up at 5:30am and getting to sleep by 10:30pm, rather than 11:30pm, seems to be making a big difference in how I feel/function the next day.
> ...



I was asleep by 10:30 every night this week and absolutely it is helping tremendously.  Just an extra hour ... it even made getting up in the morning easier.  

Something that I never knew or thought about ... grieving is very exhausting.  I didn't think I was tired, really, last year.  I was wrong.


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## Tresha91203 (Mar 30, 2014)

[MENTION=20854]Zander[/MENTION] & OT:  I love the highchair twins!


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## Zander (Mar 30, 2014)

Sunday plan.

1- walk/run to the gym- 2.5 miles
2- strength train - about 1 hour 
3- Run home - hill sprints (2.5 miles) 
4- eat a humungous salad with wild caught Salmon and watermelon. Wash down with a bottle of Brother Thelonius....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




#1,2, and 3 are hard. 

#4 keeps me motivated!!


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 30, 2014)

^ Now _that's _a plan!


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## Zoom-boing (Mar 31, 2014)

One week and I managed to exercise four days of it.  Pretty good!  Zombies run is kinda fun, there's a story inbetween your songs so it makes the time go by faster.  

I found two more free apps on iTunes.  One is called 'Human' and it tracks your movement throughout the day.  It has a '30 minute goal', meaning you need to move 30 min/day but also other goals. Today I got the 60 min and 65 min goal because I was on the treadmill for 40 mins.  It's ok and works well with some things like walking, running, biking.  Yesterday I spent about 3 hours in the kitchen baking, cooking, cleaning it all up and it didn't really track that 'movement'.  I was active but it didn't pick it up.  But if you're doing yard work or cleaning it would track that. 

The other app is called 'Spring' and it's a rhythm based music service.  It was free but I think it only gives you 600 minutes or something then you have to subscribe.  It has a 20K song library and you put in your running or walking pace and it plays songs that keep the beat.  I find it easier to run/walk to the beat.  Haven't tried it yet but will soon.

Another site I found awhile ago is from Spark People called Recipe Calculator.  I made whoopie pies last night (yes, they are soo good) but had no idea how many cals were in one.  You input the entire recipe and serving size and it gives you all the nutritional info on the item, including cals.  The pies had 330 cals each.  Here's the link:  Recipe Calculator | SparkRecipes


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## Michelle420 (Mar 31, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> One week and I managed to exercise four days of it.  Pretty good!  Zombies run is kinda fun, there's a story inbetween your songs so it makes the time go by faster.
> 
> I found two more free apps on iTunes.  One is called 'Human' and it tracks your movement throughout the day.  It has a '30 minute goal', meaning you need to move 30 min/day but also other goals. Today I got the 60 min and 65 min goal because I was on the treadmill for 40 mins.  It's ok and works well with some things like walking, running, biking.  Yesterday I spent about 3 hours in the kitchen baking, cooking, cleaning it all up and it didn't really track that 'movement'.  I was active but it didn't pick it up.  But if you're doing yard work or cleaning it would track that.
> 
> ...



Same here, I've stepped it up a bit but no where close to how I was before. Just glad on days when I am doing it.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 3, 2014)

Found a really nice yoga challenge from DoYouYoga.com.  It isn't anything that has headstands or twisting up like a pretzel with your leg over your head, but it is a challenge and nice change of pace.  I"m just starting to really get interested in yoga and this challenge fits my pace atm.  She also offers modifications.  Each vid is 15 mins or so.

Here's a link to the entire 30 videos of the challenge, via youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcjgXQkHWH453km2BpJqYHzmkUkkjH5IB


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## Zander (Apr 3, 2014)

I bought one of these last week. 









[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Xvest-X8484-Firemen-84-Pound-Weight/dp/B000NZTX5U"]It's called an XVEST. [/ame]It's an 84 lb weighted vest. You can adjust the weight from 1lb all the way to 84lbs. It is made of super heavy duty ballistic nylon with the extra strong Velcro to adjust and  fasten around the waist and shoulders.   It positions the weight perfectly - seriously - you can run in these things - though they do recommend no more than 10% of body weight be added if running.  It is real;y snug and tight around your chest and back - fully supporting your spine. 

I loaded 20 lbs into the thing the day I bought it (on Craigslist for a huge discount!!) and went for a 3 mile walk around the neighborhood.  48 mins later - I felt like I ran a 10k! I was amazed at how tough it was!.

I have been walking with it for the same 3 mile track (which has a very nice hill!) everyday this week. I now feel very comfortable with the 20 lbs and am going to add another 10 lbs - bringing it up to aprrox. 15% of bodyweight.  My goal is to eventually be able to walk 3-5 miles with the full  84lbs on!!  

Stay motivated bitches!!! Stop making excuses and MOVE!!!

PS- one added benefit of this thing - my wife says I look like a Fire Fighter when I am wearing it......that damn redhead knows exactly how to play me!


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## Michelle420 (Apr 3, 2014)

Im doing really good on healthy eating, this week has been stressful and I so badly wanted to get  a run in because I know it would make me feel better. But I didn't do it.

I spent 5 hours on a school project last night and I just felt stessed wish I would have exercised first.


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## Zander (Apr 3, 2014)

drifter said:


> Im doing really good on healthy eating, this week has been stressful and I so badly wanted to get  a run in because I know it would make me feel better. But I didn't do it.
> 
> I spent 5 hours on a school project last night and I just felt stessed wish I would have exercised first.



Don't be so hard on yourself. Eating right is just as valuable if not more valuable than exercise.  Give yourself a +1 for diet discipline!!

Of course you could take a run right now!! Go!!! what are you doing here on a computer? GO!!!!


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## Michelle420 (Apr 3, 2014)

Zander said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > Im doing really good on healthy eating, this week has been stressful and I so badly wanted to get  a run in because I know it would make me feel better. But I didn't do it.
> ...



True the energy boost would keep me up late though.

I have to do that in the morning.


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## Zander (Apr 3, 2014)

drifter said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > drifter said:
> ...



 I'll check with you tomorrow.


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## JenCoop202 (Apr 4, 2014)

I have to make sure I workout as soon as I get home from work, if I sit down of think I'll just put my feet up for 5 minutes, I never get up again.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 4, 2014)

JenCoop202 said:


> I have to make sure I workout as soon as I get home from work, if I sit down of think I'll just put my feet up for 5 minutes, I never get up again.



Yup!  If I don't exercise in the morning the odds are very great that it will never get done that day.


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## Zander (Apr 4, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> JenCoop202 said:
> 
> 
> > I have to make sure I workout as soon as I get home from work, if I sit down of think I'll just put my feet up for 5 minutes, I never get up again.
> ...



Here's my take. 

If you are performing an activity that challenges and excites you, something that you *want to do *- it doesn't matter what time of day you exercise! If you love it -  you'll find a way to fit it in your schedule.  

If you dread whatever exercise regimen you're following (first thing that comes to mind is running on an indoor treadmill )  - it's only a matter of time before you'll start making excuses.  For these people - either get the "pain" over with as early as possible and exercise in the morning-before the excuses can start - or change what you're doing!! 

I go back and forth with my motivation.  What I use to keep me on track is the Endomondo app. I have the free version on my iphone. It calculates how far and how long  I've walked, run, rode, swam, hiked, strength trained, etc....gives me the caloric expenditure and a number of other measurements. For some reason this really motivates me.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 4, 2014)

Zander said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > JenCoop202 said:
> ...



For me, if I don't get it done early, time and lack of energy usually get in the way.  I also like to try different things ... walking/running, yoga, intervals, hiit.  Mixing it up keeps in interesting!


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## Luddly Neddite (Apr 4, 2014)

Zander said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > Im doing really good on healthy eating, this week has been stressful and I so badly wanted to get  a run in because I know it would make me feel better. But I didn't do it.
> ...



Yep. First Lady Michelle Obama is completely right. Just get up and MOVE. 

The best part is that the more you move the more you want to move more.


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## Michelle420 (Apr 4, 2014)

I got out and moved today


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## Zander (Apr 4, 2014)

drifter said:


> I got out and moved today



Awesome!! Now do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the n....


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## Michelle420 (Apr 5, 2014)

Zander said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > I got out and moved today
> ...



Yep today to !!!

I am doing good so far on moving that body, it is helping my depression.


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## Kooshdakhaa (Apr 5, 2014)

I've walked thousands of miles because of my dogs.  I don't think of that as exercising, I just think of that as walking the dogs. It's part of my life.

Thank you dogs, for making me walk thousands of miles I wouldn't have if I didn't have you.


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## pacer (Apr 16, 2014)




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## Pennywise (Apr 16, 2014)

Exercise is great for you but using it to try to lose weight is useless and will only frustrate you. The amount of insanely vigorous activity needed to do much good is flat out stupid.

Eat whole natural foods (meat, fish, poultry, veggies, eggs, nuts, legumes) and toss all the carb crap. Eat 3 to 5 times per day and your blood sugar will normalize and your body will burn fat naturally. You won't be hungry and all the sugar cravings will go away. This is a lifestyle, not a temporary solution.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 16, 2014)

Pennywise said:


> Exercise is great for you but using it to try to lose weight is useless and will only frustrate you. The amount of insanely vigorous activity needed to do much good is flat out stupid.
> 
> Eat whole natural foods (meat, fish, poultry, veggies, eggs, nuts, legumes) and toss all the carb crap. Eat 3 to 5 times per day and your blood sugar will normalize and your body will burn fat naturally. You won't be hungry and all the sugar cravings will go away. This is a lifestyle, not a temporary solution.



Generally speaking ... weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness happens in the gym.  However, exercise can certainly be a help in losing weight and the benefits of exercise are tremendous.  Everyone should try to do some kind of exercise/movement every day.  

Veggies, fruits, legumes .... all carbs.  Nothing wrong with pasta or rice either, just don't over do it.  You mean toss the processedcarbcrap.  

Several of the peeps posting in here all suffered losses last year and are having a hard time getting back on track.  Most of us know what we need to do ... it's just that some days are better than others.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 16, 2014)

So I found this other app called 'Human'.  It tracks movement (it can be anything, of any intensity).  Walking, running, kickboxing, going up and down the stairs.  It doesn't seem to track things like yoga or say if you're cooking but rather more 'movement-y' things.  It's very simple, move 30 mins a day and you met the goal.  A small circle across the bottom turns orange.  60 mins, that circle turns a pretty blue.  90 min, yellow.  You can see a weeks worth of circles at a time.  Each day you reach your 30 mins you move up a level ... which changes the background pic.  They are beautiful pics ... some days it's the same pic all day, other days it tracks the sun and changes ... same pic, morning through evening.  It's a nice looking, clean app.  It doesn't track calories or miles or steps ... just movement.  I quite enjoy it.


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## Zander (Apr 16, 2014)

Zander said:


> I bought one of these last week.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I am now using 44lbs with the vest. I am doing Hindu Squats and Hindu push ups while wearing it.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 16, 2014)

Zander said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > I bought one of these last week.
> ...



Oh, I just watched a vid with a guy doing a kickboxing workout with one of these on.  I would imagine you burn and build more wearing this?

What are Hindu squats/push ups?


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## Zander (Apr 16, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > Zander said:
> ...


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 16, 2014)

Zander said:


> I just imagine that I have a date with Zuzka (see below) , and I have to take my shirt off......



Oh, I love her!  She used to be the host of BodyRock.  She's going by Zuzka now, used to go by Zuzana.  Heard she was a porn star once ... no clue if that's true or not.  lol


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## Zander (Apr 16, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > I just imagine that I have a date with Zuzka (see below) , and I have to take my shirt off......
> ...



She has an incredible physique and her videos are pretty good too. I've done a few of her workouts- they definitely get you sweating!


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 16, 2014)

Well, I must say that the past month I've been focusing on getting more sleep, eating better and exercising.  A month ago I felt like a lead balloon, no energy, and could barely walk less than a mile on the treadmill at 4.0mph.  Today I went 3.5 miles walking approx 4.2mph at a 4-5% incline, part of it running at 5.2mph.  The Zombies Run! app is quite fun.  I finally figured out how to get zombie chases .... run during the songs!  lol  Feeling better in general, again I'm sure the weather is helping.  Had some down days the other week, just gave into it (crying is cathartic), it passed.  Griefbursts.  Yup.

How is everyone else doing?  drifter? pacer?  luddly? I see Zander is progressing!


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## pacer (Apr 16, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> How is everyone else doing?  drifter? pacer?  luddly? I see Zander is progressing!


Thank you for asking Zoom but I am ashamed to say I am still glued to the computer and procrastinating as ever.  I keep telling myself once the warmer weather comes...and so the story goes.  It is encouraging though to see you doing so well.  I assure you once I put my mind to it, I will get away from this contraption and to get out and exercise.  All the best in your diet/exercise routine, Zoom.


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## auditor0007 (Apr 17, 2014)

pacer said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > How is everyone else doing?  drifter? pacer?  luddly? I see Zander is progressing!
> ...



Quit procrastinating and get to it.  It was 44 degrees outside today.  I ran 4 miles in shorts and a tee shirt.  I was sweating bullets by the time I finished. Unless it's below 40 or the wind is just blowing too hard, I'm running outside.  Gotta get back into competitive shape before I run my first 5k of the year.  Running on the treadmill at the gym was good exercise over the winter, but it's just not the same as running outside on the trails.  The trails are much harder with the wind and hills and all.


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## Zoom-boing (Apr 17, 2014)

pacer said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> > How is everyone else doing?  drifter? pacer?  luddly? I see Zander is progressing!
> ...



I started many times from last Sept through March.  Just like you, couldn't quite make it happen.  You will.  Start small and work your way up, it does get easier.  Just taking a walk outside ... doesn't have to be anything more than half an hour at something more than a stroll ... helps.  Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.  

Something that I noticed in the past month ... I haven't "needed" that 3:00pm coffee, haven't had that "dip" in several weeks.  Just realized that yesterday.  It was free coffee day at Wawa and I had zero need to go get a cup.  Oh, and the apps I'm using are helping a lot.  Makes it easier (for me anyway) to stay on track and .... well, gadgets! lol


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## pacer (Apr 17, 2014)

Thank you auditor and Zoom for the words of encouragement.  I went grocery shopping this morning with the full intention of going for a walk afterwards but it is still pretty darn cool out there.  It's only 2 or 3 degrees and with the wind chill it feels much colder.  So, I scrapped _that_ idea and came home to watch 'The Ten Commandments'.    I have it playing in the background.  But, Zoom, as you say, once I put my mind to it, I will make it happen.  Have a nice day and a wonderful Easter to everyone.


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## auditor0007 (Apr 17, 2014)

pacer said:


> Thank you auditor and Zoom for the words of encouragement.  I went grocery shopping this morning with the full intention of going for a walk afterwards but it is still pretty darn cool out there.  It's only 2 or 3 degrees and with the wind chill it feels much colder.  So, I scrapped _that_ idea and came home to watch 'The Ten Commandments'.    I have it playing in the background.  But, Zoom, as you say, once I put my mind to it, I will make it happen.  Have a nice day and a wonderful Easter to everyone.



Where in the world do you live Pacer, Antarctica?


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## Zander (Apr 17, 2014)

For anyone interested - 

I've had great success using the LIFT APP to set goals and ingrain habits. 

 The app sends a reminder to your phone- and it has a community - et.. It really works for me. I find that if "I measure -I commit".  Here is a screen shot.






It forces mindfulness on a goal or habit. I've used it for a lot of fitness and other goals. I am currently using it to remind me to* express gratitude every day*.


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## Zoom-boing (May 6, 2014)

Well, I was going great guns and had gotten down 6 lbs in 4 weeks then got a sinus infection that knocked me and I've stalled the past two weeks. Grrr.  

Am getting better and better at running and have found some good sites for other workouts.

FitnessBlender has a boatload of workouts, you can search in terms of times, cals burned, body part to work on.  

RealFittv has some nice kickboxing workouts that I've been trying out.  Nice length, intense workout, big cal burn.  

Getting in more dog walks lately (the dogs are thrilled).  Sometimes I even take each dog individually and do two walks.  Our neighborhood is a good mile and a half.

Eating right, utilizing apps, drinking water.  Cripes, you'd think I'd be down more at this point.  

<sigh>

Oh yeah, had a cavity filled last week, bottom back molar.  I have issues with the dental, specifically those bottom molars as I am a hard to numb individual (redheads are known to be harder to numb) and he really needs to whack the nerve to get those areas numb.  Jazzes the damn nerve up for a week.  But it's worse than that . . .when he was drilling and filling and he said to the assistant "let's get a picture of this" I just knew what was going to happen ....  he said if the sensitivity to hot/cold didn't go away and I still couldn't bite down on that tooth, bloody root canal would be needed.  Yeah, still sensitive and can't bite down on it and now there is a constant dull ache going on in my jaw hinge/tooth area.    Had one done once and it was awful.  Of course, my reg dentist wouldn't touch it (because of being hard to numb) so going to a stranger was just agonizing.  If they would just drop an anvil on my head and wake me when it's over I'd be less stressed about it all.  But that would require me going to a stranger.  

I hate teeth.  I'm hungry ... er, hangry.  Better go get some breakfast.

How is everyone else doing?  Haven't seen a lot of peeps around lately (myself included).  This place is like banging your head against a wall and expecting not to get a headache.  lol


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## Michelle420 (May 6, 2014)

I am still doing good on food and exercise, had a couple days where I indulged during finals but otherwise stayed on track.


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## auditor0007 (May 6, 2014)

I have started doing some interval runs rather than just running a set pace.  I seemed to have plateaued so I need to do something if I want to improve my times.  Yesterday I just lifted weights, but two days ago I did a four mile interval run where I ran for two minutes at a 6 minute pace and then rested for two minutes at a 10 minute pace, alternating back and forth.  I finished the four miles in around 31 minutes, so it was a bit under an 8 mile pace overall.  I'm hoping to do this a couple times per week while gradually shortening the rest periods from two minutes down to one minute.


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## mamooth (May 6, 2014)

Did my half-marathon Saturday. Hurt like hell, but I ran the whole way. 2:09. Nothing to write home about, but it was a minute better than last year. A year older and a minute faster, I'll take that.

Now, to not slack off. I'll start by finishing the mowing. Huge yard, walk behind mower. And run more tomorrow.


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## auditor0007 (May 6, 2014)

mamooth said:


> Did my half-marathon Saturday. Hurt like hell, but I ran the whole way. 2:09. Nothing to write home about, but it was a minute better than last year. A year older and a minute faster, I'll take that.
> 
> Now, to not slack off. I'll start by finishing the mowing. Huge yard, walk behind mower. And run more tomorrow.



Nice job.  I have thought about running a half marathon with my gf.  My max runs are usually about 7 miles and I can feel it, so I am sure just finishing a half in any time will make those legs feel some pain.


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## Zoom-boing (May 17, 2014)

Down 9 lbs in 8 weeks.  Incorporating HIIT/Tabata workouts. Just discovered Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Jason Blaha's Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Novice Program | Muscle & Strength and will be incorporating this in the near future.  

The one year anniversary 3-week-stretch starts next week.  Something my brother told me today, he was reading through different people's experiences with the death of loved ones and one girl said "I've done something that a year ago I thought would be impossible to do and did not know that I could do ... I've lived a year without my mother".   Something to think about. 

I've been reading the boards at My Fitness Pal.  Lots of great info/inspiration over there.

Oh ... can I mention MFP?  If not, um, can a mod just xxx it out?


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## Michelle420 (May 17, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Down 9 lbs in 8 weeks.  Incorporating HIIT/Tabata workouts. Just discovered Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Jason Blaha's Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Novice Program | Muscle & Strength and will be incorporating this in the near future.
> 
> The one year anniversary 3-week-stretch starts next week.  Something my brother told me today, he was reading through different people's experiences with the death of loved ones and one girl said "I've done something that a year ago I thought would be impossible to do and did not know that I could do ... I've lived a year without my mother".   Something to think about.
> 
> ...



Congrats !

I was on a vacation the past week, but managed to stay relatively healthy.


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## golden. (May 21, 2014)

Great thread I think through how these thread influence citizens in their decisions to openly express themselves to know about nutrition or to engage in self-censoring Diet on a regular basis.


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## Zander (May 21, 2014)

Zander said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > I bought one of these last week.
> ...



I've worn the 44lb vest  for about a month now- I walk a trail that has a steep hill that is about a mile long.  The route is 3.17 miles and it takes me roughly 55 minutes.  

I took the vest off the other day and walked the same route - it felt like I was flying! Walked it in under 15 min miles. - 47:33 for same 3.17 miles

The next day I upped the vest to 50lbs.....took me 59:10 for the same walk!


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## Goddess_Ashtara (May 26, 2014)

Drink lots of water.  Eat a big breakfast and a smaller lunch & dinner.  Try not to intake a lot of sugar.* Listen to music you enjoy when you workout*.  Do weights, but do cardio too.  An example of a good gym routine is upper body one day, lower body the next- five or six days a week, mixing up your exercises every so often.  Get plenty of sleep at night.  Protein helps you recover faster.   Eat healthy foods for good energy.  Stretch alot.  *Allow working out to become a ritual*.  Find ways to workout when you aren't at the gym.

Know your goals- whether you are tying to become stronger or faster, or alter your appearance in some way, your workouts will have to be adjusted accordingly.  *Knowing your goals will help you be more aware of your progress.*. Meditation can help, for others who are into it.

If you believe in a higher power, *give thanks to that higher power for your ability to pursue such athletic/ fitness pursuits.*  Some humans are either born limited or become limited later in life and cannot perform the same exercises.  *BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE,* even when you thirst for more.

Put your results to use.  If you became stronger and faster, go compete in something, whether its some kind of sport, a friendly athletic game with friends, some sparring, or a local athletic event.  Its rewarding.  Or challenge yourself athletically in something solitary.  If you look better, go someplace and put those good looks to use!  *Reap the benefits of all that exercise* you've done!

*Remember the power of your mind.  The affect of your willpower.  Remember that your focus determines your reality.*


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## Michelle420 (Jun 14, 2014)

How s everyone's workout's going?

I am doing really well, I have been looking around for new music and lately it has been disco and old skool rap 

What kind of music do you use for exercise?


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## Michelle420 (Jun 14, 2014)

[ame=http://youtu.be/7i9asfkNpTw]How to Plank: 12 Plank Exercise Variations (beginner to advanced)..Core and Abs workout - YouTube[/ame]


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## Zander (Jun 14, 2014)

drifter said:


> How s everyone's workout's going?
> 
> I am doing really well, I have been looking around for new music and lately it has been disco and old skool rap
> 
> What kind of music do you use for exercise?



If I am working out, I am listening to Heavy Metal.   I am LIFTING Heavy fucking Metal, right?

 You're godamn right I am!! GURRRRRRRAHH!!!!!! Try doing this .....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ....to disco?? God no!! 

-------------------------------------------------------------


anyway...i am Still still doing "5x5"  three times a week. 

I am taking a break on the weighted vest for a few weeks to focus on squats and deadlift.  But I am still going for walks almost every day! I have also been eating very clean. Almost no "white" carbs, plenty of protein, and good fats. 

Life is good!!


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## Michelle420 (Jun 14, 2014)

Zander said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > How s everyone's workout's going?
> ...








I still like disco and old skool rap


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## Michelle420 (Jul 10, 2014)

I don't feel like doing shit.

Last week there was a lot of family problems and everyday I still worked out.

Today I am just sitting here thinking, I don't feel like it. Life is shit.


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## Pennywise (Jul 10, 2014)

drifter said:


> I don't feel like doing shit.
> 
> Last week there was a lot of family problems and everyday I still worked out.
> 
> Today I am just sitting here thinking, I don't feel like it. Life is shit.



We all have those days. Hopefully better things are on the horizon, but you know that the endorphins from exercise will lift your spirits. On the other hand, sometimes we don't want our spirits lifted, but find some sort of contentment in accepting that life is not always joyful.

Hang tough, kid. Good thoughts sent your way.


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## Michelle420 (Jul 10, 2014)

Pennywise said:


> drifter said:
> 
> 
> > I don't feel like doing shit.
> ...



I usually work through things. Once in a while a punch in the gut knocks me down.

I will probably go to the gym after my class is over. I hope.

Thanks Pennywise.


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## Zoom-boing (Jul 10, 2014)

Doing well.  Finished season one of Zombies, Run! and am too cheap to pay full price for the second season, so I'm on the treadmill less and doing Fitness Blender workouts more.  Was finally at a place where I was able to do them anyway (it took me three months or so to get there).  The workouts are exactly how and what I like in working out.  Almost everything is body-weight routines, lots of HiiT stuff, nothing fancy just get in/get done/get on with it.  Down 16lbs. so far. I'm off my butt waaaay more now, sitting on the computer doesn't happen much these days.


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## Michelle420 (Jul 10, 2014)

Zoom-boing said:


> Doing well.  Finished season one of Zombies, Run! and am too cheap to pay full price for the second season, so I'm on the treadmill less and doing Fitness Blender workouts more.  Was finally at a place where I was able to do them anyway (it took me three months or so to get there).  The workouts are exactly how and what I like in working out.  Almost everything is body-weight routines, lots of HiiT stuff, nothing fancy just get in/get done/get on with it.  Down 16lbs. so far. I'm off my butt waaaay more now, sitting on the computer doesn't happen much these days.



Went to the gym yesterday did weights. I've been doing both weights and cardio.

Last week someone I'm close to moved out and said really hurtful things to me.

Then a relative announced they are done grieving my sister's death but they also took her website down which I like to look at.

Today it just choked me up and I felt like I don't give a shit about myself, don't care if I look good or feel good.

I think we all have days like that eh?


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## Zander (Jul 10, 2014)

Exercise should be a reflex. like a sneeze or yawn. 

Feel like shit? Walk or run for 30 minutes.  
Tired and worn out? Drop and bang out 20 push ups, 20 air squats, 20 lunges, and 20 jumping jacks for 20 circuits. 
Feeling like a cold is coming on? take some zinc and head to the gym to do heavy squats, deadlifts, and pull ups.  
Family or loved ones died? Grieve. Be sad. Then remind yourself that a life without health is worse than death, and go work out. 

Stop talking. 

Start doing.


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## Michelle420 (Jul 12, 2014)

Zander said:


> Exercise should be a reflex. like a sneeze or yawn.
> 
> Feel like shit? Walk or run for 30 minutes.
> Tired and worn out? Drop and bang out 20 push ups, 20 air squats, 20 lunges, and 20 jumping jacks for 20 circuits.
> ...



I'm back on track.


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## Skull Pilot (Jul 12, 2014)

For those of you "trying" to exercise please remember

[youtube]BQ4yd2W50No[/youtube]

There is no magic motivational pill, no bolt of lightning from the sky no amount of cajoling that will make you exercise.

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO IT!

or stop whining.


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## Michelle420 (Jul 12, 2014)

Skull Pilot said:


> For those of you "trying" to exercise please remember
> 
> [youtube]BQ4yd2W50No[/youtube]
> 
> ...



I've been pretty good at it.

I think I just got caught off guard about my sister;s memorial site being taken down and about someone moving out last week. It felt like a punch in the gut.


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## AquaAthena (Jul 12, 2014)

*Ways Your Workout Can Hurt*

"If you want to spend the warm days of summer feeling just a little bit lighter, chances are, you'll turn to exercise.

"But certain moves performed at the gym won't do much for your beach body  and might even leave you injured.

"To find out what not to do, we turned to Brynn Jinnett, a Harvard-educated former New York City ballet dancer and founder of New York City fitness studio The Refine Method.

"First thing, she said, is to reign in those summer barbecue indulgences. "If you're doing crunches because you're really focused on making your abs flatter and tighter, instead, you should be looking at your diet," she said. "[Diet is what] will remove the fat thats sitting over the top of your abdomen."

See which ones here:   How Crunches Can Hurt: 9 Exercises to Never Do - weather.com


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## Delta4Embassy (Jul 12, 2014)

pacer said:


> This is a thread for those who are trying to exercise and/or lose weight but cannot get motivated.  We can use this thread to post what diet/exercise activities people are engaged in to help us keep fit and to support each other in our diet/exercise routine.
> 
> "...some of us who are really interested in making changes can post articles and ideas...and make support friends to PM privately when we need to have extra encouragement." (drifter)
> 
> ...



Wish there'd been a support thread during my six week vegan diet way back.  Without positive reinforcement and ''atta boy' it's hard enough to not do things nevermind do extra things like exercise. 

Atta boy/girl!
(pats you on the backs)


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## ArmandoW (Jul 23, 2014)

Hey even I want to loose weight.


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## Zander (Jul 23, 2014)

Zander said:


> Zander said:
> 
> 
> > Zander said:
> ...



Still walking with the vest 2-3 time per week. I am now up to 62 lbs on the weighted vest walks- that is about 1/3 of my body weight.   

I am still lifting heavy 3x per week too.

Life is good!


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