Monika: FAP! I love it!! This works for me, too, maybe because it makes me feel like it was all MY idea instead of somebody else's. I just move the way I want to. And thanks for posting your exercise "playlist." I'll probably be checking out some of these bands and their music. But just this morning I tried something new! -- and I just have to share, in case it may work for someone else. A few days ago I put a TV w/cable in my bedroom, and this morning instead of music I turned on CNN. I know, watching the news doesn't seem like it would be conducive to exercise, but I was already accustomed to "flailing" so I didn't have to think about that - I just watched TV and the time flew. 24 minutes went by before I even looked at the clock. Some mornings I won't be in any mood for the news, and then I'll put on my headphones and listen to music. Now I have a choice. These little personal breakthroughs are so satisfying, aren't they? We each have to find our own way.

Yes! Yes! I want to join the Halloween Candy Challenge! I've always loved Halloween (both as a kid and as an adult) and I don't want to skip it, either. But I have to start NOW, because, although I didn't do this last year, in previous years I have purchased the candy, eaten it all, then had to purchase more in time for Halloween. I'm in a better place this year, and so in no real danger of scarfing all the candy ahead of time, but still, there are all the store displays, TV commercials, etc. Old habits die hard, so I have to start mentally preparing myself now.

I sure do know what Monika means about slow, steady sabotage chipping away at your resolve. The little things well-meaning people do. Someone makes you a good dinner and says "Take two pork chops, they won't be as good tomorrow," or they buy too much of something and give it to you, saying "This will just go bad if you don't help me eat it." The first few times someone does this you can't really blame them, because unless they've been overweight themselves, they can't understand where you're coming from. But if I let them know that makes me unhappy, and they keep doing it, that tells me they are insecure, either about themselves, or me, or both. Didn't someone just say this? Yes, JstPeachi - well put, too.

Monika, I feel for you and your circle of Size Acceptance friends. You've mentioned this situation before. I'm hoping you can bring your friends around to understand that even if you are able to improve your health and lose weight, you are still you. I believe that any intelligent person who has ever been very overweight has a certain "knowledge" that will be with them all their lives. Your friends have to understand that you will always have that in common with them. Maybe they haven't thought about it much, and expect that if you become thinner you will look at the world, and them, through a thin person's eyes. But you never will. Some people lose weight and then sort of pretend it never happened - that they had never been overweight in the first place, and end up paying for that. But I think I know you well enough to say you won't delude yourself that way, so your friends have nothing to worry about. And please gently let them know that carefully watching what you eat, and exercising daily, is in no way "extreme."

Not counting your official workout, what other activity do you do on a regular basis?
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I attend class 3 nights a week and park in the farthest spot from class so I get those little extra walks. I do the same at work. I lift weights 3 times a week, med. dumbbells, 15 reps, upper body only.

Since I started walking with a faster pace I have kept it up. I've maintained a distance of 1.35 miles in the morning and afternoon. On the weekend I increased one of the walks to 2.1 miles. My wife and I do these walks religiously. I took one day off last week and rested.

*pulls hair*

I invoke the Alien Abduction Clause!

Though, technically, the aliens didn't abduct me. Instead, they sent lightning down to take out our power and fry my modem... not very nice aliens.

However, despite the fact that I haven't been able to log on and TELL everyone about my fitness challenge--I've been doing it!

This week is the week I changed my routine, so here it is:

Every day, I am going to do the weight routine that my mother taught me. She learned it from a personal trainer, and in the past two months with low carbing and this exercise, she's dropped an amazing 50 pounds and shaped up her body. It takes about 20 minutes in the morning, followed by some aerobic exercise later.

I swear that every morning, I will get up and do my routine (while watching Buffy reruns on FX), drink my protien smoothie, and be ready to face the day with a smiling face!

*hugs her modem* I hope it never leaves me again.

-Bree

extra credit question....

I am very personally motivated....as a matter of fact I think its part fo the reason I did better before joinging this challenge..its all very personal to me and sometimes by telling myself I HAVE to do something will make it not happen at all...

A few months ago my husband lost his job and we became increasingly poorer...we ended up having to give up internet and many other things...I learned that after the first 2 weeks of lonely shock wore off that I was just fine and would still live well--even better without my on line support... so I do know that I would be okay... I will always come back though!

Oooh, I want the Halloween Candy Challenge! I'm doing it!


See? I even made us a picture.

This week is sure going fast for me!
I had a little bump along the way this week. The pulled muscle in my back was very painful after I lifted last week. It even hurt right through my lungs when I breathed! So I skipped another weight workout to let it heal. Finally by yesterday it was feeling pretty good so I lifted, but only did light weights for my back. This morning it was a little sore, but now there is no pain so hopefully it is healed. I have done cardio every morning, so that is still going strong.

Great picture Breecita! Halloween is a tough time for me too. I have a huge sweet tooth (kind of what got me so heavy LOL) and it is so hard to resist all the candy. I haven't bought any yet to hand out - I'm even thinking I might hand out pencils or something like that. My kids have outgrown the trick-or-treat stage, but I know they will want me to get them some candy. Halloween was always a time I could buy a lot of candy and not feel guilty, since of course it wasn't just for me LOL. Right now I am feeling very strong and will work on resisting the candy demon.

Not counting your official workout, what other activity do you do on a regular basis?
I work on the second floor so I climb a lot of steps a day (the bathroom is on the first floor).
Clean house every weekend.
Sex (does that count? )

I hope everyone is having a good week!

Mary

My New Workout Program
The doctor told me "Physical exercise is good for you."
I know that I should do it, since my body is so out of shape.
So I have worked out this easy daily program I can do anywhere:

Monday:
Beat around the bush.
Jump to conclusions.
Climb the walls.
Wade through paperwork.

Tuesday:
Drag my heels.
Push my luck.
Make mountains out of mole hills.
Hit the nail on the head.

Wednesday:
Bend over backwards.
Jump on the band wagon.
Balance the books.
Run around in circles.

Thursday:
Toot my own horn.
Climb the ladder of success.
Pull out the stops.
Add fuel to the fire.

Friday:
Open a can of worms.
Put my foot in my mouth.
Start the ball rolling.
Go over the edge.

Saturday:
Pick up the pieces.
Whew!
What a workout!

Sunday:
Rest!

Marebear,
That was excellent!!

Not counting my workout what activity so I do on a regular basis....

I am a stay at home mom.... I clean, sweep, vacuum, cook, wash kids, dress kids, chase kids, load kids in van through my door and exit there also since slider has been broken for over a year now.... Did I mention that my kids are 1 and 3?! or rather almost 2 and 3.75 lol I dont get a chance to just do nothing EVER! lol

I am house hunting also and I think the high stress counts as exercise too

I havent done my actual workout all week because I pulled my should muscle out Sunday raking and it still doesnt even feel any better!!! I think today I will try to do step aerobics and just not use my arms...heck I must be doing something right I lost 3 pounds overnight

Week Five …

Know your limits and stay within your means

… ... fatigue, insomnia, irritability, and elevated resting heart rate are all signs of overdoing it.

Goals
Make goals for what you will accomplish this week. Challenge yourself, but don’t set yourself up for failure by promising more than you know you can do.

~ Are you going to maintain last weeks’ level of activity? If not, can you take a small step towards increasing duration or intensity?

~ Consider adding a different health related goal …

Extra Credit
This weeks question:

What is your skill level in performing your chosen activities?

Is the program of reasonable enough intensity so that you find it challenging but not punishing or aversive?

This next week I am getting back to basics....workout 4 days a week at least for my goal...MUST get back to doing abs!

Now....we are seeing what we think looks like our dream house tonight and possibly--probably putting in an offer on it tomorrow. Life is kinda hectic lately so things are subject to change...lol I would do anything to get this house!

I accidentally had a ton of caffienne the other day and my headaches are GONE but because of this I expect them to come back tomorrow....I seem to not be able to break the headache cycle..I am actually thinking about adding a small amount of caffeinne daily or every other day so i wont have to deal with the headaches.

Extra Credit
This weeks question:



<B>

What is your skill level in performing your chosen activities?


Is the program of reasonable enough intensity so that you find it challenging but not punishing or aversive?



well....I think my aerobics video is perfect on most days bu my skill and stamina veries greatly from day to day..I havent yet figured this out yet.

I do a medium intesity and some days I lower it and some days I up it depending on if I am sweating and how I feel....I make SURE to get my workout from it.

</B>

This week went OK for me - I skipped one day of exercising (today); I'm taking the day off and babying myself today because I had a temporary crown put on a tooth yesterday morning and it still hurts, kind of a lot. Well, this too shall pass. Anyway, I might still exercise today yet.

About this week's extra credit questions:
I think my skill level is OK - not real sure about that, but I pay attention to what muscles are being stretched or worked, keep my neck and back straight, ease up a little if I feel a joint pop, that sort of thing.
The intensity is right for me now, but I would like to increase that at some point, I'm just not sure when. I realize I haven't "progressed" at all, since I'm still doing pretty much the same exercise routine as when I started. Adding walking would be perfect but unfortunately that's still out of the question.

Bree I love your Halloween graphic, hope you don't mind if I use it too!

Goals -
I am keeping the same wo schedule this next week - 5 or 6 times cardio with 3 times weight lifting BFL style.
No Halloween candy - I am handing out pencils

Extra Credit
What is your skill level in performing your chosen activities?
Well, I guess in the weight training I feel past beginner, so maybe an intermediate. The cardio I do is to tapes and that's pretty brainless LOL. I am very uncoordinated, so anything that I need coordination for would not be good.

Is the program of reasonable enough intensity so that you find it challenging but not punishing or aversive?
Well, I have found the program I am doing usually good, but it is too intense sometimes and I have to back off every now and then - mainly due to my joints hurting. I know when my challenge ends in a week I'm going to keep the cardio strong but slow down on the weight training so I have more healing time.

Monika - I hope you are feeling better soon!

Have a good one
Mary

Hi everyone,

It's nice to see everyone doing so well. Bree, I am glad your modem is back up and running and Marebear, I am glad your back is feeling better. Monika, I hope you feel better very soon.

I met my basic goals last week -- two days at the Y with a combination of treadmill (2 miles at 3.5 mph and a 7% grade) and swimming laps (1/2 mile), and three days just walking. I did the orientation to the LifeFitness machines at the Y last Saturday, but I haven't gone back and tried to do them since then. I think it was just too much information for me to absorb all at once. I'm trying to figure out how to deal with that. I think that what I really need is a personal trainer to help me with the resistance training at first, until I feel comfortable doing it myself. I'm pretty sure that if someone went through it with me half a dozen times or so, I would get the hang of it. However, going the trainer route is a big commitment both financially and with regard to time. I have trouble sticking to a fixed schedule of when I can go to the Y because both my personal and work life are so chaotic. Using a trainer would mean I would have to make a commitment to show up at a particular time. I don't even know if the Y has personal trainers, or if I would have to go somewhere else. I know that the gym near my office, which we can join at a discount, has personal trainers, but I haven't joined there because they don't have a pool and I already belong to the Y which does have a pool.

My goals for next week are to continue with my five days of aerobic exercise and do some investigations into getting some more training help with the resistance exercise so that I feel more comfortable doing it.

Last year I got through Halloween without wanting to eat any of the candy and I hope to be able to do so again this year. I really don't have a lot of cravings for sweets. There is no way I can avoid candy -- I'm having four extra kids, in addition to my own two, sleep over my house on Halloween night, plus there will be a few additional ones here in the evening who aren't sleeping over. They'll all have bags of candy. We have to give out candy to the trick-or-treaters as well. Everyone in my neighborhood knows me and Halloween is a big deal here. I don't want to be the grinch who doesn't give out anything good!