Dust yourself up and try again

A

amberlace

New member
After being in the forum for the last few days and reading many many journals, I realize that my story is the story of all of us here. I am 29 years- was active and runner until college. Then life happened. And I let go- didn't watch what I was eating, didn't exercise. Lat month I started having weird back pains and when I went to my massage therapist he said I need to figure out a system where I am taking care of my body. His words were, "You're not 20 anymore, Amber, you need to figure your s#$% out so that you can stay healthy."

Don't get me wrong-I love my massage therapist- I have been going to him for years so he definitely knows how my body has changed. So I decided it is time to take action. I joined a gym (I am not one to self-motivate myself and go for a run every morning). At lease in the beginning I want to go to classes so that I can be held accountable. Luckly, I found an instructor who actually cares. I have been going for the last five days and I really feel like I am spending my two hours in the morning well. Foodwise, I know I need to give up/moderate how much sugar I take (I love cookies and I live next to this amazing bakery- I know, doesn't help even a little bit). Also a big fan of chips and dips and chocolates. Need to moderate all that. I have already started eating less sugar and I am not trying to figure out my portion size.

I didn't immediately start a journal because I have LOVED reading all the journals. They're motivating, and the community seems very together and supportive. I hope I can find the support here and support others along the way.

Here are my stats:

Weight: 145lbs
Goal- 125lbs

April 11
Chest- 38"
Belly: 38"
Biceps 12.5"
Hips: 40"
Thighs: 23"
Calves: 13"

I would like to have lost at least about 8lbs by mid-June.

Also I get obsessive about things. We do measurements at the gym every fortnight, and I need to STOP weighing myself and measuring myself at home. Once every two weeks is good and NOT SO obsessive.

Exercise this morning:

15 Min in cross-trainer.
20 Min uphill incline on a manual treadmill (those things kill you!!)
20 Min in stationary cycle
30 crunches knees bent, 30 crunches not bent, 30 crunches on the side,
20 leg lifts, 20 stretches with weights, 100 jump-rope jumps

I am pumped, sore EVERYWHERE. But I LOVE it!

'Night, everyone.
 
Welcome to WLF miss Amber.
I know what you mean about the scale and tape I did it every week the last time I was on this trip. I promised myself I wouldn't go through that hell again. lol So I hid my scale so I won't see it every morning when I wake up and told myself I am not allowed to live by the scale anymore. So I'm planning on only pulling it out about once every two weeks.
Well good luck to you I'll be watching and rooting for you.
 
GreyGhostHunter said:
Welcome to WLF miss Amber.
I know what you mean about the scale and tape I did it every week the last time I was on this trip. I promised myself I wouldn't go through that hell again. lol So I hid my scale so I won't see it every morning when I wake up and told myself I am not allowed to live by the scale anymore. So I'm planning on only pulling it out about once every two weeks.
Well good luck to you I'll be watching and rooting for you.
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Good idea, hiding the scale GreyGhostHunter. Thanks for visiting my journal. I will check your progress too. Nice to have company along the way. Re: scales- I'll ask my boyfriend to do the same (hide it) and tell him never to tell me where it is. That way I can be held accountable, and BF will be a part of the whole grand design. Heeeehee...


Did well today. Went to the gym early morning but my entire body was hurting, especially my back. Don't get me wrong, its the good kinda hurtin'. But I didn't want to overdo things too much. So I did 3km on the crosstrainer, 15 mins on the manual treadmill, and did some long relaxing stretches. I was SOOOO tempted to get on the scale as I came back from the gym, but I stood firm. So yay to me, I guess. WHY IS IT SO HARD NOT TO WEIGH YOURSELF EVERYDAY?

I did well foodwise as well.

B: Scrambled eggs with some cheese, veggies and 1-5 toast
S: 6 crackers
L: Brown rice, grilled veggies, and some soup. Yum.
D: Soup, 1 dinner roll and lots of veggies, one small can of beer (yikes- BF was watching something and drinking so I kept him company).
S: Was soooooper pooped so I had some plain non-fat yogurt.

Tomorrow will be another great day. Goodnight yall.
 
I love how regimented your exercise sounds already! That kind of structure sounds the bomb. Will def keep an eye on your progress, keep it up!
 
iamnotauser said:
I love how regimented your exercise sounds already! That kind of structure sounds the bomb. Will def keep an eye on your progress, keep it up!
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Thanks for dropping by Mr. Non-User and many thanks for the motivation. Trying to do a little everyday. It's hard, but if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it, right?

Just visited your journal. 8 mile runs? Whoa!! I can hardly run for five mins without thinking I'm going to die.

Hope you had a great day.
 
Hiya folks,

I had a wonderful wonderful workout today. Did 30 mins walk-run on the treadmill. Then 15 mins on the crosstrainer. Treadmill read 2.5km and cross-trainer read 1.5km. Not sure if that's true, but I am glad I am thinking in terms of distance covered than calories lost. After the machines I did some weights (really light- baby weights- kinda embarrassing) , crunches (30- in sets of 10), leg lifts (so hard!!!)- 20 in sets of five. Then I used these machines where you step on it and its really hard but it is like a bike. Not sure what that machine is called. I did 100 of those. Then I did forward bends, side bends all 50. By the time I was done, I felt like every muscle in my body was screaming.

Foodwise I was a little blah:

B: 1 toast, losts of sauteed veggies, yogurt
L: A big salad with olive oil and lemon. Some brown rice with grilled veggies.
S: Funnel cake (1.5)- WTF was that? Also had some crackers.
D: Dinner was the worst. I was at a Sedar dinner- so there was a lot of wine drinking and fried food and lots of matzo ball soup! I did have lots of quinoa though. But the wine did me, I think.

Also I was not tempted, at all to get on the scales today. So yay me.

Hope all are having a wonderful week.
 
I always thought wine was a pretty low cal alcohol? Although, any alcohol is ++ empty calories! I'll be down the pub tonight, really must stay strong and abstain. I definitely agree that the scales are more of a hindrance than a help - my weight seems to fluctuate atleast 4 pounds depending on how much water I've had that day/when I weighed.
 
iamnotauser said:
I always thought wine was a pretty low cal alcohol? Although, any alcohol is ++ empty calories! I'll be down the pub tonight, really must stay strong and abstain. I definitely agree that the scales are more of a hindrance than a help - my weight seems to fluctuate atleast 4 pounds depending on how much water I've had that day/when I weighed.
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Yea. It is empty calories. But wine tastes so good. :( I justified it as one night of celebration of culture. That's allowed. Right? :)

I was good today. Well under my calories despite some pizza indulgence for lunch.

B: Veggie soup (I couldn't have more than a bowl- was not hungry- it was leftover from dinner that I just heated and ate was too lazy to get into eggs or oatmeal).
L: 4 small slices of pizza, some hummus and bread, a non-fat cappucino (with no sugar).
S: Small crackers, an orange
D: Lots of veggies, and quinoa.

Workout was also really good. I did 30 mins or 2.5 km of run walk on treadmill, 20 min or 2 km on the cross-trainer elliptical thingie. Then I did 30 crunches, 30 leg lifts, 30 side bends with 5kg dumbells, 30 forward bends with dumbbells, 100 twisting thing machine (what are those even call?), 100 stair presses (don't know what the name is), then 20 side bends with a rod, another 20 bends in the front, finished it up with 10 squats and long stretches. I FEEL SO GOOD.

Also day three of no desire to go on the scales. Yippie dippie dooo.

How's everyone else doing?
 
Culture > Being good, always! :newangel:

How can you even do crunches?! And by choice? They are like the most uncomfortable. Haha good job!
 
iamnotauser said:
How can you even do crunches?! And by choice? They are like the most uncomfortable. Haha good job!
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I didn't particularly love crunches. Last week was terrible. I could hardly get up. Now I can get up a little more. I am taking this as a challenge. Let me see how long it will take for me to to actually be able to do *proper crunches. I recommend it, actually. You feel like all your muscles are working, working working workin worki, work, wor, wo, w..... You get my point. :)

I am going to visit your journal next Mr, Non-User. Wanna read about your progress.
 
So a few updates:

We had our weigh-ins at the gym today (it's every week) and I am up 2lbs. Which is like blah. I wanted to smash the scale. But then my trainer was like let's take your measurements. And oh boy, was I in for a huge shock. Here is what I was on:

April 10:
Belly: 39.5"
Chest: 37.5"
Hips: 40.5"
Thighs: 23"
Biceps: 11"

And here are my measurements today April 18 (so a week later)

Belly: 36.5" Down 3"
Chest: 37 down .5" (I wanted to see more, but I'll take that for now)
Hips: 40.5" 39.8" down .7"
Thighs: 20.5 down 2.5" (wooohoooooo!!!)
Biceps: 11" (no change)

So my question is: WHAT GIVES????? How could I have gained 2 extra lbs and lost almost four inches around my belly? That makes no sense. I had the trainer measure one more time and it was the same. MY BODY CONFUSES ME. Anyone has insight into this? Am I just weird?

My trainer was like I have been working extra hard on my sides (the love handle dept-hehe), so the muscles around there have become tighter. I knew I had lost some inches in my butt and my tummy but didn't realize it would be that much.

Now on to how I spent my morning today. I was there for 2.5 hours today. Woke up at 5am was at the gym by 5.30 and out by 8am. Here's what I did today:

Crosstrainer: 33 mins (3Km)
Treadmill: I walked 5 mins, ran 15 mins, cooled down 10 mins
Stationary cycle thingie: 15 mins
Then I did 30 leg lifts, 40 crunches legs bent, 40 crunches legs not bent, 100 side bends with a rod (standing up), 20 forward bends with a rod then 30 stretches on the bench, then I did some upper body strength exercise with dumbbells and then I was DONE.

Foodwise it was good too:

B: Two eggs with veggies, grapes, one orange
L: Tofu and quinoa (sitting in the fridge at my work chilling)
S: 10 crackers and small non-fat plain yogurt (that's what I will have at 4pm)
D: Mexican at my favorite local place (date night) yeeehaw!

Also, may I just say, TGIF. It has been a short week with all the working out and working hard (at my job). I am so looking forward to the weekend.
 
Wow, this place is dead over the weekend, eh?

Updates:

I took Sat off but stayed on track with food. Friday night was a little blah with a margarita but I stuck to only one, so that was cool.

Sunday morning I woke up really early and got out before anyone was up. Puppy and BF were fast asleep.

Did 30 mins of manual treadmill
20 mins of elliptical
Then my usual leg lifts, crunches, forward bends, squats. Added some arm exercises with dumbells. We'll see how it goes.

Food plan:
B: 1 piece of toast, with eggs and veggies
L: Huge goatcheese, sundried tomato, walnut salad- I AM SOOO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SALAD. :) (little joys).
D: Veggie soup and a roll.

Going hiking today with friends. Excited. Will burn off some calories there as well.

I am feeling so good. And positive. Hope everyone's having a wonderful weekend. It's gorgeous where I'm at.

PS: Any insights into my increasing weight and decreasing inches? Please? Thanks.
 
Been a crazy few days. Im on the road, so posting is difficult. Left Monday morning, but I did get in my workout in the morning. For some reason, I was super duper tired.

Did 30 min elliptical
Crunches etc etc. I was so lethargic, my trainer is like go home and have some coffee.

But I have been travelling from Monday afternoon and food has be super blah. Back this evening, and I am hoping to get in some workouts.

Hope everyone's doing well. Will visit journals when I am back on solid firm ground.
 
Traveling makes it tough (I'm typing from a hotel). It looks like you are off to a good start. Good luck on making your goal!
 
Today has been good so far. I really didn't feel like getting up and going to the gym in the morning but boy am I glad I did!!

Workout:
30 mins on the treadmill. 20 mins of continuous running at 5m/hr
35 mins of elliptical/crosstrainer
Then my usual leg lifts, crunches, squats, lunges. That was for another 30 mins.

I was sweating like blah today. Hope all are doing well.
 
I just saw your post with the measurements that everyone missed :)

That should make you very happy- after all, realistically we are all here to look and feel better- right? It is not about some arbitrary number on a scale that could fluctuate wildly or be broken or just not right.
If you are losing inches then you are doing what you need to do. The number on the scale has no choice but to fall in accordance with everything else. Hell, if I could stay the same weight I am now but look good and be as fit as I want to I would be happy.

I like your workouts. You are doing a good combo of cardio and resistance.
Nice job amberlace- you are doing the work :)
 
Hey Amberlace, I'm loving your routine and dedication in journaling it! Way to go!
Weight gain as you put on muscle is what happens. Trust the way your clothes fit and not the scale and stick to it. I'm going to keep checking on you for my motivation so you have to stick with it ;) haha.
 
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