Hi everyone! Here is the body fat analyzer I bought. I don't think it really matters which one you get. I wish now that when I ordered my Tanita scale back in August, that I had gone ahead and gotten one with it built in. Hindsight's always 20-20 though, isn't it?

I spent too much for mine get it locally and would recommend just ordering it online. You can find them for various prices, but it looks like you could find one for 50-75 bucks or so.

From everything I've read, the induction type is better than the caliper method. Probably even more true for those of us with lots to lose since the fat is so buried in there.

AntiM, thanks for the suggestion on the triceps extensions. I've been doing them just with the dumbells, so I might try them with the WAP. It's amazing how weak those muscles are! I think I'm starting to see some toning, but it's still a bit early. I just hate those batwings I have under the arms.

Completed my 20 miles hike Monday. It took me 3 days instead of 2. It was great had a good time. Busy day today, off to make some money.

Here I am, late again! Last week was pretty good workout-wise, and I ended the week on a great note -- went on a 4 mile (+/-) hike with the dog and a friend. Not too strenuous, but the distance gave all of us a real chance to stretch our legs. Afterwards, I stopped off at the Y to do some weights. I've come up with a good notation system for my log (at the Y) to remind myself at each workout which machines I want to up the weight on and which machines I want to keep the same. I was getting too confused before trying to remember what I needed to change each workout!

All that sounds really great, but so far this week, I've been a slug. Planned on getting to the Y this AM, but didn't. At least I was good and walked to/from class (I REALLY wanted to take the bus, but I was a good girl!). Walking up the big hill on the way to class has definitely gotten easier since I started this challenge. Now I just need to work on the part where I *WANT* to do that walk, not just *NEED* to do the walk. (FEEL those butt muscles pushing me up the hill!)

I also picked up a new scale this week that includes a body-fat analyzer. The reviews I've read say that these things aren't that accurate in terms of 'true' body-fat, but at least they are consistent. So even if the total # is wrong, I will still be able to rely on the accuracy of the changes I hope to see. (I had to up my start and current weights by 3 pounds because my old scale was low by that much. I've known this all along, but I was ignoring it! )

Well, I went to Curves Friday, and my knee was a little stiff on Saturday morning, but I think it was actually a good thing, because I went for a walk Sunday morning and I went to Curves Yesterday and my knee feels stronger. Thanks for all of the hugs.

I too, have noticed that in months where the weight loss seems to be at a stand still, I will check my body fat and it will have gone down .2% or something, so I know it is working.

This week, I plan to just keep exercising, I am going to walk on the days I do not go to Curves, because that way, my knee won't get stiff again. Hopefully.

My favorite muscles would have to be my leg muscles. I carry all of my weight on my stomach and rear-end, so my legs tend to look pretty good, plus, they get Kudos for carrying all of this weight around all of these years.

I can't believe I did this! Yesterday after work I went to Curves. I came home and talked on line (here and other places) for a while after dinner--and then put on the WAP tape ("just to see what it's like") and did the mile walk. I felt so energized I put on the first Goddess bellydancing tape and kept up for about half of it! Bizarre--GREAT, mind you, but _bizarre_. I have _never_ enjoyed that much exercise in one day that I can remember.

Think I'll put the WAP on again today.

Jude

Jude!

You are exactly the woman I've been wanting to talk with!! I have many questions for you ...

I've been wanting to start belly dancing since forever. I've asked Crysania questions before, but she's so much more fit (and younger!) than I am. It seems like if I'm having a fairly easy time doing the WAP 3 mile workout, I might finally be ready for the belly dance workout. You think?

BTW, which Dolphia tape do you have?

And how about balance? I have a hard time doing things like tai-chi because they rely on you to stand in one place, move slow and delibrately. It's easier for me to keep a certain pace so I don't topple over.

Please share your brand new belly dance expertise with me. I'm waiting with baited (ketone-scented) breath.

This is a long awaited dream for me ... I've been holding off to get to a better place cardiovascular-wise, but maybe it's time?!

Well, I'm still alive and kicking! Haven't posted in a bit, due to computer changes and life!

I've been keeping up though, with slight adjustments as I go Still getting my walking in, and even more since I'm now bussing it to and from work every day, and I pick a stop at least a km away from home to get on/off the bus at. Had to change my gym goal though - pass expired, and I need to wait til pay day to renew Been doing some improvised home/floor exercises, and using my gazelle so I feel pretty good about that.

I'm amazed at how good I feel with it - I'm loving when I'm walking and can really feel stretch in my legs from taking deep, brisk strides. I can totally see a difference in how my clothes fit (not measuring until the end though!) and I'm down even more (made it to 50lbs total lost today - and boy am I ever happy about that!!!)

Anyways, sorry for the infrequent posts, hopefully I'll be around a bit more now that my system is up and loaded.

I'm glad to see everyone's doing so well - I find it so inspiring to see everyone's progess.

OH yes.. and I want to know about belly-dancing too!! There's a course offered by local community centres here, but I don't know that I'd feel comfortable in a group setting yet Share your experiences, please!!

Wynter

I know you didn't ask me but I can't ever keep my mouth shut lol
I think as far as balance goes its alot easier then tai chi for the most part both feet are on the ground about shoulder width apart, and the most movement is in the hip upper body and arm areas.. it *does* take cordenation though when you start getting to more advance moves (and speeding up the tempo on the basic stuff) and I tend to get lost when I have to try and do a bunch of the stuff together is it me or is it just hard to do arm movements (snake arms mainly) shimmy *and* walk... how does she make that look easy?? and the part on snake arms seems to go on forever least I think so when I am doing it cause my arms feel like they want to die about half way through

I can't wait til I have a car (a divers license would be a nice addition first lol) I want to join the local dance classes and maybe make it into the troup

oh and I started dancing well before I started loosing weight and I seemed to do fine though I admit its getting easier.. Could just be the fact that I am doing it so much too though

Crysania ~ Thanks for your feedback ... please keep that mouth open and sharing your experiences. So which video would you recommend for me - a beginner who wants to learn the moves, but is primarily into it for the workout potential? Dolphina or the Veena / Neena sisters?

I know you do yoga, too. Have you heard of this new 'iron yoga' workout? Looks very intense! You do the postures while lifting weights. Whew!

Wynter ~ Congratulations on losing 50 pounds!!! WoooHooo! Best of all is how you are feeling, moving better, easier. What a great thing! We'll be looking forward to seeing more of you when the computer changes and life stresses ease a bit.

Take care everyone!

I would go with Dolphina first I think its a better workout the Veena and Neena's tapes... but I switch between them so I never get bored with it.. I have the basic goddess workout and I have the whole mystic dance series been doing the mystical dance- the third tape in the veena and neena series- lately. what I like about it, and dolphina tape, is it focuses on the hip movements quite a bit
fair warning though, I can't stand still anymore I stand in one place long and start doing figure eights and hip cicles without realizing it and I have been told I walk like a dancer by one of my friends

as to the yoga I finally moved up to the last of the 4 stages on the tape I have (being I can do them unmodified ) and boy does it give you a workout that way my side muscles are still a little sore from day before... of course I added to it by doing my abs yesterday with my lower body workout

water goal sucked I hit it once but I am keeping about an average of 4 maybe even pushing 4.5 its just so hard at work to be running to the ladies room every few so I don't drink alot before work
I made all my workouts for the week. I overslept two days this week but still managed to get in my workout just after work instead of soon as I got up which I know is better but least I did it!
Today instead of dance I did yoga but this is the first time I have done it with music instead of with the video which was so much more relaxing even if I did cut about 15 minutes out of it ... listened to the sounds of nature ... had that whole meditive quaility can you really call that exercise? I will probably do this again though I need to memorize the order of the poses on the tape so I can get it back to the full 45 minutes because I can think of a few now that I skipped (on perpose without realizing it perhaps?? lol)

Hi all - I am here, doing my thing and reading sporadically. Been very busy with commitments and now company. Off to the driving range to hit a few balls this morning.....

As I read these bellydancing posts, I keep picturing all these sexy ladies swirling and shimmying and sashaying all over town. You go girls!

And Wynter -- Big CONGRATS on hitting that 50 pound mark! That must feel absolutely wonderful!

For me, I've continued in my somewhat sluggish ways this week. Haven't gotten to the Y at all for a weight-workout. Have been sort of ok with walking, but only when I'm being generous with myself! Between working full time and the horrible class I'm taking and my new telescope, I'm finding it hard to fit workouts in there. But this MUST STOP. At the beginning of this challenge, I made a committment to make exercise a priority for the next 8 weeks, right?

So, tonight I take the dogger for a good walk, then hop in the car to go to the Y for some strength training. (If it's really raining, then I'll do a short walk with the hound and then do a video plus strenght training.)

Yay, I took a 45 min walk with the dog at a nice brisk pace (about 1/3 flat, 1/3 up hill, 1/3 downhill). Then I went over to the Y for the strength part. I really feel so much better, physically and mentally, when I get some good exercise in. I'll be doing another hike followed by more strength trainig this weekend, too, so that will round out the week for me. Not the best overall, but at least I recovered toward the end!

Next week, I will focus a bit on my Cher Step Video tape instead of just walks. In my original goals, I said I wanted to be able to do the whole tape with the step. I need to work on reaching that point since there are only a few weeks left in our challenge.

AntiM--Monday was literally the very first time I had put in the bellydancing tape! I was just going to "see what it looked like" but it looked like so much fun I just had to do it! I have the Dolphina tapes (I splurged and bought the 4 DVD set) (every VCR we own has died, eating tapes on the way), and did the first, beginners, one. Like I said in my previous post, I got most of the way through it (AFTER a full workout at Curves and the 1 mile WAP!)

The energy boost has hit with a vengence! I went back to close to pure induction after the weekend retreat. I've done SOMETHING every day--WAP or walk or curves or something. That's the best thing for me; just keep moving.

Jude