Weight Loss & Fitness Track, 2008

[viscousmemories]

Welcome to the second annual :ff: Weight Loss & Fitness Track thread! Like its predecessor (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11501), the purpose of this thread is to give anyone who wants to participate a chance to track their goals, successes and failures in the areas of weight loss and/or general fitness, as well as share advice, find inspiration, etc.

I would like to lose weight, eat at home more regularly and get in shape (or at least be more active than I've been in the past few months). I think I could benefit from some accountability, so I've been trying to think of a way to use the forum to that end. Posting pictures is out of the question - I'm looking for accountability, not crippling shame. So I'm thinking maybe starting a blog of everything I eat, or with regular weight and other measurements. I'm still waffling, so ideas are welcome.

[ceptimus]

I welcome this thread. I've been pigging out for the last couple of months and I need to get back in shape again.

I didn't achieve my objective of a 100-mile bike ride in 2007, so that is a goal again for this year. :yup:

Maybe an 'inches lost from waist' measurement is a better track of getting in shape than weight loss? Or we could record our resting pulse rates, blood pressure - things like that.

[Guinevere]

Tracking what you eat on a daily basis is one of the best ways to become accountable in terms of your daily meals. I use the web site at weight watchers, where I have been a member on and off for some time now, but there are lots of sites where you can track calories and intake.

What to track in terms of "success" is up to you. I do a weekly weigh and a monthly measure.

Having support and sharing your goals are one of the best ways to find success! For 2008 I want to lose what I've regained, focus on builsing strength, and race at least three triathlons, including the intimidating Las Vegas tri in October.:swim::bike::run:

[Ensign Steve]

I'm also a member at Weight Watchers. Their website is super cool, if buggy.

I want to continue losing weight and continue running this year. I ran 2.5 miles yesterday, and I think I'm going to go for 2 or 3 today.

I'm also going to continue not smoking and maybe drink less. Maybe.

[vremya]

I totally welcome this thread!

This year I want to lose some weight, get myself in shape again, and start cycling regularly again.

I know I always get in a rut, eating the same food and menus, so if anyone has ideas for low-fat, high fiber healthy foods, I'd love some ideas. (Maybe that should be a separate thread, come to think of it)

[viscousmemories]

I just started cycling (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12386) last spring and really need to get back into it. It's not like it snows here more than once a year (if that), so there's no excuse not to.

[vremya]

Lance Armstrong lives in Austin, doesn't he? Maybe you'll see him on the road?

I was riding pretty regularly, and then I started school, and that really, really messed up my schedule. My schedule should be a little lighter this spring, so I can get more riding in.

[viscousmemories]

I think he does. There's a long planned (but not yet implemented) "Lance Armstrong Bikeway" supposedly in process downtown.

[Guinevere]

VC, Austin has a really great groovy cycling community, and one of the largest triathlete communities in the country. A good friend lives there and cycles regularly (she's an Ironman). I'm happy to ask her and pass on some cycling groups you might want to hook up with, if you like.

I'm back from a miserable cold rain shortened 2.5 run, and will hop on my trainer in a bit for 30 minutes of torture (that's a bike on a training stand, so I can ride inside in the winter).

[viscousmemories]

I think that's the first time anyone has called me VC, usually it's vm. VC makes me think of "Village Corner", a little grocery store in Ann Arbor where I worked until I couldn't handle the drugs anymore. Then, of course, Viet Cong. :)

Anyway thanks for the offer, but I'm not quite ready to join a group yet and certainly not a triathlete group! I have no desire to compete, I just like to ride. I'm aware of a few beginners groups around here, though, so thanks for the thought. I think I'll see about getting into one of those.

[Guinevere]

Whoops, sorry, vm, my apologies.

I'd bet there are lots of organized rides in Austin, for all levels and interests. No competition needed. One place to start is REI.

I'm scheming to get my bike and I out to Austin sometime this spring, just to ride, perhaps we'll cross spokes!

[wildernesse]

Yay! I have been looking forward to a new start! I didn't do so hot with my 1000 mile goal last year, not quite making it to halfway, but I did get in decent enough shape to go on my bike ride with my dad. Right now, I'm having a hard time getting out and doing ANYTHING. My blood has turned into sludge and I am on the verge of being too fat to fit in my clothes. Bleck.

I need help with my 30X30 challenge, and can get a ton of things checked off if I start training now. I would like to do the following things in 2008:


Ride a century.
Run 10 miles.
Run a half marathon.
Learn to swim for fitness.
Hike 365 miles by July 4 (I track from July 4, 2007 and have a puny number of miles.).


Those are my big goals. In January, I would like to: sign up for swim lessons, ride with a group ride in town, start running again, go for a 3-5 mile hike. Also, I am going to go back to no-soda, since it's not good for me.

I'll try to check in every Sunday with a good/needs improvement post for my weekly goals. This Sunday, I would like to report: signed up for swim lessons, rode with the local bike group if they schedule a ride, and did 30 minutes of fitness-related activity on all days.

[viscousmemories]

That would be cool, Guin. :)

I'm a member at REI, but I prefer Bicycle Sport Shop (where I bought my bike) just because it has more of a local feel.

[Adam]

The place where I play soccer more or less shuts down for a month at the end of the year, so I'm quickly slipping in to horrible shape. Those four games a week are just about the only workout I get any more.

I need to start training for the mini-marathon I'm supposedly running in May pretty soon. I foresee many trips to the gym at work in my future. I also need to lay off the fast food, perhaps by setting fire to the Taco Bell that's a minute and a frakkin' half from my house.

Oh, and I should probably also cut back on the booze.

:roflcopt:

Oh, that last one was good...even I almost believed it for a second. I slay me.

[Guinevere]

What do you ride, vm? I'm relatively new to road cycling, still not totally comfy on my road bike, but I have learned to love going screaming down hills at 40 mph :cyclist:

[vremya]

I haven't set up my bike trainer - I should. I don't know how the kittehs would react to it. I guess setting it up would be the best way to find out! Riding on it is so mind numbingly boring, but better than nothing.

[viscousmemories]

I bought this baby (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=389773#post389773) back in June, but haven't taken her out in a few months.

[biochemgirl]

:woohoo:

Last year I lost a little more than 30 lbs, and aside from the little bit I've gained back over Christmas, I've been pretty good about keeping it off. This year I would like to lose around 20 more lbs and also add some strength training (and actually keep doing it this time!) in addition to my cardio exercise.

I use Fitday (http://www.fitday.com) to track my food intake because it gives a nice breakdown of where your calories are coming from. I find I am most successful sticking to a 40% protein, 30% fat, 30% carbs ratio. Some things you will have to add in but you only have to do that once and when you get going and compile some food lists it goes super fast.

[viscousmemories]

You are truly a beacon of hope, biochemgirl. :clap:

That Fitday site looks pretty straightforward. I've registered now. :thankee:

[biochemgirl]

:blush: I try. I am feeling like crap about the weight gain over Christmas but I know I need to take it in stride. It's a lifestyle, not a temporary diet and it's hard to remember that sometimes.

Fitday is awesome, especially once you get used to using it. You can also set certain goals, say consuming so much calcium, and track those also. One of the first things I did was check out how much sodium I was consuming and it scared the crap out of me.

[Shelli]

I got my hour of weight and cardio exercise for the day just now shoveling wet snow. I normally don't exercise when I'm sick, but with this I had no choice. :brooding:

[vremya]

I bought this baby (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=389773#post389773) back in June, but haven't taken her out in a few months.

Pretty! I have a Giant OCR 3 (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/women/11/24221/zoom/) in light blue, it's sitting in the front hallway, giving me dirty looks.

[Guinevere]

Oooh, nice rides, both of ya. I have a lovely pearl white and light blue Fuji ladies roadbike -- my white stallion, of course :gallop:

I ride on speedplay lollipops because they were a gift, and I'm mostly ok with them. My New Years treat is going to be a real professional bike fitting, sometime in the next 2 months.

Biochem girl, I've used fitday and liked it a lot. I'll go back there probably when I'm either more in maintenence mode, instead of weight loss focus, and/or heavily into a training sked, and need to eat more but still be careful. I found it worked better for me in those two instances.

[Dingfod]

Day 1 of Dingfod's 2008 Fitness program: I spent two hours sawing up fallen tree limbs.

Now I'm relaxing with a double shot mojito. I need to, my arms ache.

[Ensign Steve]

Oooh, I like that fit day site! I've joined and I think I'll make the switch to that since weight watchers is a pay site.

[Suds]

It didn't click that the 2007 thread would finish at the end of 2007. Hope you don't mind if I re-post my post here.

I recently got a workout programme from the instructor at the gym. It's helped a lot. I've been going to the gym for years and I've basically been treading water, they need to get that drainage sorted out.
Now I've got a plan and focus. I'm building up muscles and toning up a bit. I've lost a couple inches of my stomach and waist and I may need to go down a belt loop.
It's good for 2 one hour sessions a week
I also bought an exercise mat and bands for home but i prefer sitting on my ass and watching tv.

I find cycling machine at the gym very hard even at moderate resistance. Some people are on it for bloody ages. I can just about cope with 12 mins, just over a mile or 100 calories.

WHen I go to the gym I try to do about 300 calories or aerobics the some weights.
Someone said you need to do over 45 mins before your body gets into burning the fat but others say to do 30 min or so more times a week.

[viscousmemories]

It didn't click that the 2007 thread would finish at the end of 2007. Hope you don't mind if I re-post my post here.
Not at all. I'm glad you decided to post here; I felt a little guilty about leaving your last post dangling on the old thread.

[Ensign Steve]

I'm really enjoying the Fitday website. They have a link to your "public profile" so you can be accountable to ... anybody who's interested, I guess.

FitDay.com - Diet and Fitness journal for ensignsteve (http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=ensignsteve)

I think I'll add the link to my profile. :shrug:

Oh! I set a goal for myself to be 160 pounds by my birthday. That would require a 1.2 pound loss per week until then. I think that's doable.

[maddog]

I fell off the screen last year.

My starting weight last year was 200.1.

My starting weight this year is 192.4.

#1577

[Dingfod]

Day 2 of Dingfod's Winter Fitness Program: 2 more hours sawing up fallen tree branches. Now I'm dulling the pain of sore muscles with more mojitos. I work day shifts the next four days, so I don't know what I'm going to do to maintain that greatly increased activity level.

[Caligulette]

I have ideas about cutting sugar, increasing water, and cutting coffee. Also, more excersize. I do not have a scale, so the only time I am weighed is at the doctor's office. (Well, I did get on the scale to see how big of a Polar Bear I would be, and I am about 9 months old in Polar Bear weight. I would like to get down to maybe six months?)

[Shelli]

I did my 15 minute mile on the :tread: at a slightly higher incline than normal tonight and managed to get my pulse up to 133 bpm. Gotta love it when those endorphins kick in. :biggrin:

[Suds]

I have a cautionary note about running.
I did some running on the treadmill. I used do a little then I did a few minutes more. Initially it was okay. Then my knees started to ache. It was worrying. I was also doing a lot on the crosstrainer and crossramp.
Turns out my flat feet, bent shins and dodgy knees had finally felt the strain. I was advised not to run at all and that it was lucky I hadn't run on the pavement.
So you might want to get yourself checked out. It's taken months for my knees to get close to normal and they still throb a bit.

[Shelli]

:hai: Suds. I'm not sure if you mean me in your above post, but if you do, just so's ya know, I'm not running; an extremely fast walk, yes, but running, no. I have very long legs if you're wondering how I could keep up at that speed without running. :wink:

I've heard too many bad things about running so I don't go there. :unnope:

[Ensign Steve]

I run my ass off. Because I'm not a wuss! :tease:

I haven't gone since Monday, though. So much for the new year, eh?!

[Shelli]

I run my ass off. Because I'm not a wuss! :tease::you:

I haven't gone since Monday, though. So much for the new year, eh?!Wuss. :ptht:

[Suds]

Hi Shelli. Your post did prompt me. I was told that a good walk does only a little less but for a lot less damage. I'm trying to do a 1 mile walk every day at teabreak in work . It's about 100 calories.

I run my ass off. Because I'm not a wuss!

I'm only slightly wussy:P
I had to work relatively hard to do my knees in.

I see these people on the treadmill really going for it and pounding the plastic for ages. I'm thinking "Watch your knees!!"
It's damn good aerobics though.:sweat:

[Shelli]

Go, Suds! :cheer:

Ger off ur ass, Ensign, ya slacker. :unfrown:

[Clutch Munny]

I'll take this opportunity to post a photo of me in my cycling clothes, just to show you how commuting to work by bicycle year-round can leave one lean, muscular, and tautly built.

[viscousmemories]

Wow, you're positively glowing!

[Qingdai]

A reflective moment from Clutch Munny.

I used to bicycle everywhere, until the child. Now I have to lug him around and it just isn't fun anymore since he started kicking me and wildly swinging. I was lean and mean though, plus I could eat up to three breakfasts.

I've been working out at a gym for about 8 months as four months of bed rest seemed to have atrophied my muscles. I am up to fast walking/sprinting about two miles. Then I get to do the rowing machine, bench presses and swim 20-30 minutes.
I am not losing any weight though. I still have more than adequate fat storage for the winter. I am thinking I should get my thyroid and blood sugar levels checked out this year thanks to my wonderful genetic inheritance. The I will try to figure out what to do with my diet. It's pretty reasonable.

I got my husband to go with me yesterday and he sure goes faster and harder than I do, certainly makes me try to keep up. I have been going with a friend of mine to the gym regularly and she has lost 27 pounds since we joined! I've gained 6.

[inland wave]

Day 1 of Dingfod's 2008 Fitness program: I spent two hours sawing up fallen tree limbs.

Now I'm relaxing with a double shot mojito. I need to, my arms ache.

Excuse me, but the mojito would counteract anything the exercise did for you except dull you pain. :doh:

[inland wave]

I can't get on to Ding to much as I have not taken care at all this holiday season and have gained back 6 lbs. With that news I now have almost thirty lbs to lose instead of twenty. :doh:
So with this swirling around in my head with all the other crap I am working on I am going to start getting back on track today. I am going to take time off work the next couple of days and go cold turkey off of pop and get back on my liquid protein diet with the one solid meal a day and cheese and other solid low cal snack I can think of that can deter me from wanting something in my mouth all the time. I was wondering a couple of days ago if I was just so insecure about my new job that I feel I need to be eating all the time and why? I guess it is time to go back and see the psychiatrist. Maybe she can help me blurt out my issue and resolve it. I can tell you this, the director of the area I have moved to is going to be a pain in the ass. He has this aire of arrogance to him and wants all of his people to have it too. I am just not an arsehole to people. Well, most of the time anyway. I believe I can get people to do their jobs without being an arse. I know he is trying to be a motivator, but there has to be some other way. It would be nice if he would quit coming into my office 8 times a day too. I would like to get my work done. IT is hard to do when you have to stop what you are doing and listen to him yack for thirty minutes to an hour. He needs more meeting to attend or my boss needs to keep him tied up in Denver for a while.
Oh, I forgot this is an exercise thread. :tread: is working great. I plan to get on it and start riding the horse when the weather is good and the ground is dry.:gallop:
The fitday site is cool, I think I will start using it. Thanks for the website address.:yup:

[Dingfod]

Bzzzzzt! Wrong! My muscles are bigger now, I can tell.

[wildernesse]

I'll try to check in every Sunday with a good/needs improvement post for my weekly goals. This Sunday, I would like to report: signed up for swim lessons, rode with the local bike group if they schedule a ride, and did 30 minutes of fitness-related activity on all days.

Needs Improvement: All of the above.

Good: I did sign on to the local bike group website and inquire about this week's ride. I chose to work instead.

Work is my excuse--I started on Wednesday (with a consulting firm doing document review) and have worked 44 hours this week, ending today! Almost like a real lawyer. Anywho, this has prevented me from being more active and increased my soda drinking because they are only 30 cents at work.

I will try to do better, especially since I would like to start swim classes next week. Tonight I will look at fitness programs I might want to record on the DVR, so I always have something available to try. Goals for this week: ride with local group if they ride, sign up for swim lessons, resist cheap coke, go for a walk, and do 3 fit tv workouts.

[Ensign Steve]

Comcast has workout videos On Demand, too.

[Dingfod]

I've been watching exercise videos for years and it hasn't helped much.

[Shelli]

:orly:

[Guinevere]

Clutch, nice duds! I've been extremely unmotivated so far, and I need to re-find that motivation. Tomomorrow is another day, and I plan to work from home, so I'm thinking yoga and a run in the am, and maybe more yoga in the pm. MUST. GET. MOVE. ING.

[vremya]

Having restarted Weight Watchers for the umpteenth time, I've managed to stay on plan so far. Yay!

I'll hit the gym tomorrow night for some time on one of the bikes there. Classes start up again next week, so I want to get some gym time in before all of my free time gets sucked up into school.

[viscousmemories]

I haven't started exercising yet, but I've been eating better. I decided not to go the hardcore calorie counting route, but I've been eating at home more often, more reasonable portions and (for the most part) avoiding desserts and snacks. There's more to be done, but I'm definitely in a better space than I've been in for the last few months. I'm looking into joining a gym, too.

[Shelli]

Go, vm! You can do eeet! :larrybounce:

[viscousmemories]

:thankee:

I paid for a 30 day membership at 24 Hour Fitness to check it out. I have a fitness assessment scheduled for Wednesday morning at 10:00am. :)

[SharonDee]

I'm trying to go back to "being good" after "being bad" over the holidays. That's food-wise, anyway.

Physical activity-wise? I have been bad ever since I threw my back out trying to do crunches last fall. Since getting well, I have been too lazy to get back on the [exercise] ball.

I need motivation; maybe this thread will do the trick.

[Clutch Munny]

I hope the gym membership works out well, vm.

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.

[Qingdai]

The two mile jog, water, sex, then 12 hours of sleep.

The sleeping really cuts down on the boredom eating.
:ffnod:

[BrotherMan]

I don't think your lover would appreciate you saying "eating" is boring.

:69:

[SharonDee]

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.

:?

Oh, I get it. You're trying to motor-vate me. Well, that won't work unless one of those gym memberships come with a sex partner. (Do they?:wish:)

[Qingdai]

Sometimes they have decent "eye candy."

[viscousmemories]

I hope the gym membership works out well, vm.
Thanks, Clutch. I'm going to get back on the bicycle too, starting this weekend.

[Dingfod]

I hope the gym membership works out well, vm.

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.If you're doing it right, you won't need the 8 km jog but you will need a lot more water.

[Ensign Steve]

I got tired of fitday.com. I found it just too time consuming. I'm going back to regular pen-and-paper points counting instead of using a web page at all. That's how I learned to do it in the first place, and it works well enough for me.

Meanwhile, my weight watchers leader has challeneged me to lose 18 lbs in 6 weeks. Don't tell on her, because it's totally against the rules for her to encourage deadlines, especially at a rate of greater-than 2 lbs. per week. But I mentioned wanting to lose some tonnage before my trip to LA, and that was the challenge she issued. I think I'm up to it, I just have to exercise. :flex:

[Clutch Munny]

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.

:?

Oh, I get it. You're trying to motor-vate me. Well, that won't work unless one of those gym memberships come with a sex partner. (Do they?:wish:)

No, I'm just being a doofus. But if it somehow motivated you, I'd be delighted.

[Clutch Munny]

Anyhow, I guess on reflection (hee!) that last pic wasn't quite as illustrative as I'd said. Instead, here's a picture demonstrating the sort of ripped physique that ice hockey can produce. Talk about motivational!

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh293/Clutch_M/000_0016.jpg

[vremya]

Good luck with the gym vm. I just got back from my first visit to the Y in eons, and I'm so proud of myself, I'm practically giddy. I did 30 minutes on a stationary bike, kind of dull, but I got to read People magazine. Wooo! I'm planning on going back on Wednesday. (Our weather has been so mild the ice might be melted off the streets enough for me to take the real bike out soon.)

[Shelli]

I had planned on the :tread: before I paid bills and balanced checking tonight but when I saw my new real estate tax bill any plans besides ranting about how I'm going to call tomorrow and most likely file for an abatement went right out the window. I got my bills paid and had a quick dinner besides that but that's it.

Except... my wristwatch blood pressure monitor that I ordered came in today and I'm much relieved to say that my blood pressure is back to my normal of approximately 105/60 down from my pre-decaffeination high of 145/80-something. :w00t:

[freemonkey]

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.

:?

Oh, I get it. You're trying to motor-vate me. Well, that won't work unless one of those gym memberships come with a sex partner. (Do they?:wish:)

That would be a Jim membership, then?

[Caligulette]

Sometimes they have decent "eye candy."
I prefer tummy candy.

Speaking of that- I have eaten no candy necklaces since I last posted about them. However, I have eaten a gigantic cookie every day for the last week. Also, I bought a 16oz bag of "baby" carrots, and ate them all yesterday on the way home.

Bit of a control problem, I think...:(

[Ensign Steve]

:larrybounce: Hooray is Shelli's BP!

In food accountability news, I stayed within my points allotment today, and had a good mix of proteins, fruits, whole grains, vegetebales, dairy, etc. I am loving my new frittata pan and having breakfast for dinner which is one of my favorite things because eggs is the easiest "meat" to cook.

For exercise I did a brisk 2-mile walk at lunch and I'm about to do 30 minutes of yoga before hitting the sack. :peace3:

[Shelli]

Sharon, I understand that a great way to lose weight and gain fitness rapidly is to have sex. That's right, sex! Followed only by a glass of water, and an 8 km jog.

:?

Oh, I get it. You're trying to motor-vate me. Well, that won't work unless one of those gym memberships come with a sex partner. (Do they?:wish:)

That would be a Jim membership, then?:chuckle:


Sometimes they have decent "eye candy."
I prefer tummy candy.

Speaking of that- I have eaten no candy necklaces since I last posted about them. However, I have eaten a gigantic cookie every day for the last week. Also, I bought a 16oz bag of "baby" carrots, and ate them all yesterday on the way home.

Bit of a control problem, I think...:(:patpat:



Congrats on the good work, Ensign! :larrybounce:

[Ensign Steve]

Doing good again today. I did 20 minutes of yoga as soon as I got up (would have done longer but I decided to sleep in :sheepish:), and I did my brisk walk at lunch. I'm craving some potato chips right now, but I had a diet mountain dew instead.

[Shelli]

:cheer: Ensign :cheer:

[freemonkey]

I've been doing my strength training stuff for a couple weeks now. (I did have to trade the 8 lb dumbbells for 5 lb'ers. And I took the 5 lb ankle weights back (not because they were too heavy, but because they were too big and loose and clunky and hurty). All I could find that weren't like that were 2.5 lb ones. :mutter: )

So, anyway, I don't think I'm smaller yet, but I'm definitely getting stronger. I think I have overdone it the last couple times, though. I've been feeling a bit of pain where I shouldn't.

[Shelli]

Go, free:monkey:! I've got to get moving on that too. :yup2:

[Dingfod]

Yesterday was Day 3 of Dingfod's Winter Fitness Program: Did 2 hours of sawing up fallen branches. Another week or so of this and I'll be into Phase 2: piling up branches too small to be firewood into brush piles. Day 4 is today. The reason the days don't coincide with the calendar is that it is very hard to maintain the regimen when you go to work at 4:50 in the morning and don't get home until about 6:20 PM. I know, excuses, excuses.

[Shelli]

Well, I didn't pick up the weights tonight but I did get my ass (and the rest of me) on the :tread: tonight. :pleased:

[Clutch Munny]

Good on yer!

[Ensign Steve]

I'm sore all over from yoga. Most especially my arms/shoulders and that stupid part where the muscle attaches to the bottom rib that I'm not even aware exists except after I've spent a scant 10 minutes doing balance poses. I'm taking today off!

I am about to go to a celebration at a restaurant/bar, but it was sort of a spur of the moment thing so I can get away with the "oops! I just ate!" act (which isn't exactly an act, since it's true) and binge out on Diet Coke.

[viscousmemories]

I had an assessment at 24 Hour Fitness today and signed up for some personal training sessions, the first of which will be tomorrow. It won't be an actual workout day, though, just working on a nutrition and workout plan. It appears to be a very comprehensive program, so I'm optimistic.

[Clutch Munny]

I'm sore all over from yoga. Most especially my arms/shoulders and that stupid part where the muscle attaches to the bottom rib that I'm not even aware exists except after I've spent a scant 10 minutes doing balance poses. I'm taking today off!

I am about to go to a celebration at a restaurant/bar, but it was sort of a spur of the moment thing so I can get away with the "oops! I just ate!" act (which isn't exactly an act, since it's true) and binge out on Diet Coke.

I'm shamefully ignorant of yoga. Do you find it a form of exercise that helps with weight control? The sum total of my knowledge is a mental image of people doing gentle-stretching sorta positions. I might have got that from the encyclopedia; I might have got it from Three's Company.

[Caligulette]

Bought neither cookies, not candy necklaces on any of my shopping trips today. Also, am down to about 16 oz of coffee over the last few days (as opposed to about 5 cups). Have been bringing my lunch, rather than the free-form pasta-thon.

[Ensign Steve]

I'm sore all over from yoga. Most especially my arms/shoulders and that stupid part where the muscle attaches to the bottom rib that I'm not even aware exists except after I've spent a scant 10 minutes doing balance poses. I'm taking today off!

I am about to go to a celebration at a restaurant/bar, but it was sort of a spur of the moment thing so I can get away with the "oops! I just ate!" act (which isn't exactly an act, since it's true) and binge out on Diet Coke.

I'm shamefully ignorant of yoga. Do you find it a form of exercise that helps with weight control? The sum total of my knowledge is a mental image of people doing gentle-stretching sorta positions. I might have got that from the encyclopedia; I might have got it from Three's Company.

I answered you in new thread:

For Clutch: My Experience with Yoga - Freethought Forum (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=472551#post472551)

[Shelli]

I had an assessment at 24 Hour Fitness today and signed up for some personal training sessions, the first of which will be tomorrow. It won't be an actual workout day, though, just working on a nutrition and workout plan. It appears to be a very comprehensive program, so I'm optimistic.Excellent first step, vm. :thumbup:

Bought neither cookies, not candy necklaces on any of my shopping trips today. Also, am down to about 16 oz of coffee over the last few days (as opposed to about 5 cups). Have been bringing my lunch, rather than the free-form pasta-thon.Way ta go, Cal! :cheer:

[Dingfod]

Been piling up brush for several hours the last couple of days, more woodcutting to come, much more. Rode my mountain bike a short way yesterday for the first time yeons. I shouted "Burn!" as I passed my daughter Roxy going uphill up our driveway. She thought I was bragging was because this old man passed her going uphill. No, it was because I could feel my quadriceps burning.

[Clutch Munny]

Coulda been worse. Coulda been "Snap!"

[Dingfod]

True, true.

[Shelli]

I got my workout today at work filling and then hauling boxes of paperwork down into the dungeon. :sisyphus:

[BrotherMan]

I got my malevolent workout today hauling boxes of paperclips down into the dungeon.

:fixed:

:muahaha:

[Dingfod]

I completed two more hours of wood-chopping. My feet, knees, and lower back are hurting. My upper arms have probably increased at least an inch in circumference. Today, I not only worked up a sweat, I was actually breathing harder than usual. That could be related to switching from Norvasc to a beta blocker blood pressure medication as much as the physical exertion.

[Qingdai]

This "having the flu along with the world's most demanding pre-schooler" diet is really working for me. The diet is almost non-existant and the exercise of getting up at the wee one's demands every 2-3 minutes is a hard one, but I can deal. Only what pre-schooler demands cooked, "broccoli with mustard to dip into it."
I can feel the pounds melting off me.

[Ensign Steve]

I played ultimate frisbee for an hour today, but my heart wasn't really in it once I figured out I was the only girl on a team of guys that doesn't believe in passing to a girl. Jerks.

[Adam]

That sucks, ES. Most of the girls on my coed soccer team quit last session because half the guys* on the team won't pass to them. I blame the substandard degree of cootie education in this country.

In other news, I have neither consumed fast food nor had more than three caffeinated beverages per day since originally posting in this thread, and soccer has started up again, so WOOOOOO! to that. Now all I need to do is figure out how I'm going to wake up early enough to run before work.

I'm still a drunk, though! They can have my booze when they pry it out of my cold, dead liver!

* - I'm in the half that will pass to them...duh...they're better than me!

[Shelli]

I got my malevolent workout today hauling boxes of baby paperclips down into the dungeon.

:fixed:

:wink:

[Dingfod]

I'm going to a bariatric surgery introductory seminar this morning. Four hours of testimonials and personal interviews to see if I am a viable candidate for weight loss surgery.

[viscousmemories]

I've mentioned a bit about what I'm doing here and there, but here it is in one place. I signed up online for a 30 day membership at 24 Hour Fitness ($85). When I went in for the initial fitness assessment I also signed up for some personal training sessions (5 x 50 minutes for $329).

The first training session consisted of a comprehensive nutrition counseling and setting up my account on their web-based management program. All my measurements, goals, nutrition plan, daily calorie logging, etc. is in that handy system. I also started taking their recommended supplements (a multivitamin once a day and a "fat burn" pill 3 times a day for 30 days). I don't know if they do any good, but it was only $15 for 90 days worth of the multivitamin and another $15 for the 30 days of fat burn stuff.

The second training session, yesterday, consisted of a fairly challenging resistance workout. Going forward, I'm expected to do at least 20 minutes of cardio 3 times a week and resistance training twice a week (for now, that will be during the personal training sessions). The trainer I have is fantastic. Very knowledgeable, attentive and motivational without being an asshole.

Anyway, that's all I have to say about it now but I'm really thoroughly impressed with their whole program so far. I plan to spend another $280 for five more personal training sessions if things keep going as well as they have, and maybe more after that if I don't feel confident or inspired enough. Of course I'll have to extend my actual club membership too, which will probably be about $30-$40 a month going forward. So, a little costly overall but well worth it to me if it works out.

My goal is to lose 30 lbs. by July 31st and be in much better overall shape.

[Kyuss Apollo]

This "having the flu along with the world's most demanding pre-schooler" diet is really working for me. The diet is almost non-existant and the exercise of getting up at the wee one's demands every 2-3 minutes is a hard one, but I can deal. Only what pre-schooler demands cooked, "broccoli with mustard to dip into it."
I can feel the pounds melting off me.

I can vouch for the success of the being sick/kids weight-loss program--I have had a flu-like illness all week that has me both run-down and unable to eat all week. The kids at work and at home have also helped work off some few calories. If I felt better I'd go weigh myself at the Y, but I just don't have the energy.

Have sort of stopped drinking coffee too the past few days of being sick...maybe I'm going somewhere with that. We'll see.

And congrats vm for signing on to what sounds like a very ambitious lifestyle choice. That much exercise is bound to have an impact--I've never had a trainer like that, but a few years back I put together something similar on my own and took off 40 lbs

that I've since put back on and then some...

[Ensign Steve]

A multivitamin every day is a good idea, IMO. You're going to be so ripped! I'm jealous.

I haven't done any exercise so far today, but I continue to eat well and drink plenty of water. I haven't had any alcohol to drink since January 6 (yeah, almost a whole week ... woo). I haven't decided yet whether to give that up entirely, but that's a topic for another thread.

I intend to do about an hour and a half of yoga later this evening, and go running tomorrow. I love the weekends for the amount of extra time it gives me to exercise. Whee!

[Qingdai]

This "having the flu along with the world's most demanding pre-schooler" diet is really working for me. The diet is almost non-existant and the exercise of getting up at the wee one's demands every 2-3 minutes is a hard one, but I can deal. Only what pre-schooler demands cooked, "broccoli with mustard to dip into it."
I can feel the pounds melting off me.

Have sort of stopped drinking coffee too the past few days of being sick...maybe I'm going somewhere with that. We'll see.

I haven't had any coffee in days either. Yeah, I am completely decaffeinated and (probably) lost the 3 pounds of fat I needed to get to a healthier BMI. :sadcheer:
Now if I just had enough energy to drive to the gym.

Now I think my body has been hoarding fat to make it through parenting. My little guy is still so sick though. :(

[Shelli]

I put together a new playlist for the treadmill which worked out very well. The adrenaline didn't really get pumping till almost the end of the first mile where I usually end it, but the the way I set the playlist up, the music had just got pumping and freakin' fast with lotsa bass. :biggrin: So, I kicked it up a notch and ended up doing 2 miles in 30 minutes, some at an incline, some not, with the end of the 2nd. mile had me at 5 out of 10 on the incline. :tread:

THEN...

I did a half hour of upper body work out with weights. :flex:

And ya know what inspired this hour of exercise today? When I got done putting away groceries, I was starting to feel all :sleepy: Well, since I quit caffeine, I can't very well fix that with a cup of three tea bag tea and taking a nap was out of the question because I'd have never have slept tonight. So, I got changed into my workout clothes, put a new playlist together and off I went. :beaugest:

[Shelli]

I thought I was going to hurt today from yesterday's workout seeing as how I did feel it last night but :nope:.

My exercise for today will be shoveling :snowflake: when I get home from work.

[Clutch Munny]

Good work, vm.

[Shelli]

:yeahthat:

[Shelli]

I got my work out last night shoveling heavy snow for over an hour. When it came time to pay bills afterward, for once I was grateful instead of dreading it because at least I was sitting down and the pen that I would occasionally use doesn't weigh nearly as much as a shovel full of wet :snowflake:.

Between inside and outside workouts, by the time winter is over, I'll be able to toss my Honda VTX 1300 around like a twig. :shakestick:

:giggle:

[Shelli]

I had to shovel again today after the trees snowed about an inch of that white shit all over my back walk today. :brooding:

The good news is that my back is fine. The not so good news is that I'm generally achy all over. I need a good :massage:.

[Shelli]

Tonight I plan on a mile or two on the :tread: and then a lower body workout with free weights. :situp:

[Ensign Steve]

Shelli, you're getting strong enough I bet you could do 3 miles / 40 minutes at a time. I challenge thee!

[Shelli]

Are you trying to kill me? :narrow:

What'd I ever do to you? :shaketribble:

[Shelli]

Anyway... I'm sure I could do it but I'm also sure that if I were to that I wouldn't have any strength left in my legs to do the lower body workout that I want to do. So, I think I'll stick to 1 to 2 miles tonight, whichever feels right at the time. :tread:

[Ensign Steve]

Sounds good to me!

It's still more than I'm doing. :shiftier:

[Shelli]

I did 2 miles on the :tread: in 28 minutes and 45 second and then did my lower body workout with my 8 pound free weights, 20 reps each. :biceps:

Yeah, I'm thinking I might just feel this tomorrow. :unohnoes:

[Shelli]

Correction, I know I'll be feeling this tomorrow. Mah ass hurts already. :butt:

[viscousmemories]

Good goin', Shelli!

I joined my co-workers for happy hour at a wing place tonight and didn't have a single wing. This despite the fact that spicy wings are just about my favorite thing in the world, and the place we went has my favorite wings.

Instead, I had a grilled chicken sandwich and side salad. The bun was a little too heavily buttered to call it "healthy", but with wings being 130 calories and 10g of fat each, it was definitely healthier.

My co-workers applauded me, wing sauce still dripping from their gaping maws.

I'm now bound and determined to make healthy wings though, so keep an eye on the food forum.

[Shelli]

Good job, vm! :victory:

[Shelli]

erm.. ow. I'm sore pretty much everywhere now. It hurts to walk and when I was showering, my upper arm muscles hurt to the touch. My boring desk job is a respite on days like today although I'd much prefer a :bath: and a :massage:.

I'm taking the night off... except for emptying :dog: :shit: buckets tonight and changing four :meow: litter boxes and hauling it all down from the second floor to the trash to be picked up tomorrow. :firstaid:

[viscousmemories]

I have a date with my personal trainer at 5:00pm today. :biceps:

[Shelli]

:w00t:

* Shelli would also like to add that even her hands hurt. :seestars:

[Suds]

It's like smiley world.

Well done on the 28min time. It takes me 20min for a 1mile stroll. Have you tried the different programmes on the treadmill? I do the aerobic course. I'm thinking of doing the gluts course sometime.

I don't seem to have the energy to do much. I think I need to eat more or eat better.
The instructor told me to do a cardio course first then some weights then some cardio. Alternate. I used to do a load of cardio, maybe 30 - 40 mins then do weights etc. I had no energy left.

I think my waist is still getting smaller. I weigh 55.8kg. I thought I would weigh more because my muscles have increased a bit. I'm a bit worried.:worry:

[Shelli]

It's like smiley world.It is, innit? :nova:



Well done on the 28min time. It takes me 20min for a 1mile stroll. Have you tried the different programmes on the treadmill? I do the aerobic course. I'm thinking of doing the gluts course sometime.:thankee: I change the settings as I go along to correspond to the music that I'm playing, how fast I want to go, and what incline I want it at.



I don't seem to have the energy to do much. I think I need to eat more or eat better.
The instructor told me to do a cardio course first then some weights then some cardio. Alternate. I used to do a load of cardio, maybe 30 - 40 mins then do weights etc. I had no energy left.

I think my waist is still getting smaller. I weigh 55.8kg. I thought I would weigh more because my muscles have increased a bit. I'm a bit worried.:worry:Have you gotten a doctor's opinion, Suds?

[viscousmemories]

My trainer tried to kill me tonight. :(

Thank the gods I don't have to go back until Monday!

[Shelli]

Ah, but you went and you endured. :victory:

My whole body just aches. There are a few muscles in both my arms and my legs that are on the verge of being sprained (or is it strained? I'm never sure on that one.) so I did take the night off from working out except for hauling cat litter around. Tomorrow is Skype night so it'll be total relaxation night. :chatphon: :chillpill:

[viscousmemories]

Strain vs. Sprain (http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/sportsinjuries/a/strainvssprain.htm)

Which makes me realize we really need Spy vs. Spy smilies.

[Ensign Steve]

I got fed up with Adam's room escape puzzles (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15068) so I went on the treadmill for 20 minutes and jogged 2 miles. When I came back I had a stroke of genius and solved the puzzle. Works for programming dilemmas, too. Although honestly, I think just taking a break works, even without the exercise.

Anywho, I'm done w/ day two of eating like a monk and I am not totally starving and ready to kill somebody. :jd:

[Adam]

You're a stronger man than I, vm. Nice work with the wings.

[freemonkey]

I am seeing and feeling positive results from my strength training. Woo!! I bought another book with some challenging exercises in it.

Congrats on making your commitment to fitness, vm. Joining a gym has never worked out for me, personally, but I can appreciate the value of it for others.

[viscousmemories]

Congrats and thanks, freemonkey. :)

Yeah, gym memberships have never worked out for me before either. In fact I've defaulted on two lifetime Bally memberships, and the one time I had a "trainer" there it was a young woman who didn't seem to know much more about fitness and nutrition than I did. I had a similar experience with the trainers at my work fitness center last year. Fortunately my experience at 24 Hour Fitness so far has been the polar opposite.

[Shelli]

I got my exercise for the day in today whether I liked it or not. Wet f'n snow again. :brooding:

With every shovel full that I heave ho'd (:giggle:) I reminded myself that it was for the good of my new, bigger bike. :flex:

:motorbike:

[SharonDee]

So my health insurance provider arranged for a guest pass to a workout facility of my choice (from a limited list). I have printed the guest pass and will go by today after our office closes.

Here's hoping this will be the motivation I need. :crossed:

[Shelli]

GO, SHARON!
:shakebette:

[viscousmemories]

Good luck Sharon! :cheer:

I decided to stop taking the "fat burn" supplement. I don't really believe in it, I hate taking a monster stinky pill three times a day, and I think it was giving me indigestion. Or something. Anyway I believe watching my calorie intake and working out regularly (both of which I've been doing well) is enough. Besides, when my trainer recommended that I switch to a cycle of "Fat Burn 2" ($90 a bottle) after "Fat Burn 1" ($15 a bottle) I realized I was being ... well, maybe not conned, but something.

[Suds]

Anyway I believe watching my calorie intake and working out regularly (both of which I've been doing well) is enough.

That's the only good thing to do. Everything else is meant to be a con or a fad. Eat less exercise more.

[Qingdai]

$90 a bottle? Yikes!
Most of the gym supplement "programs" seem to be multi-level marketing schemes.

I got my buns to the gym last night for the first time since I got sick. I could only do about 25 minutes of cardio and even though my heart rate didn't get very high, I still sweated more than usual.

[Shelli]

$90 a bottle? Yikes!
Most of the gym supplement "programs" seem to be multi-level marketing schemes.:yeahthat:

[freemonkey]

$90 a bottle? Yikes!
Most of the gym supplement "programs" seem to be multi-level marketing schemes.:yeahthat:

Yeah, looks like they were testing your gullibility level.

[Ensign Steve]

Still, a daily multivitamin is a good idea. Even if you eat a well-balanced diet, a lot of the foods in the US are lacking in vitamins because of the ways they are coerced to grow. You know, bigger spinach with the same amount of vitamins is going to mean less vitamin-dense spinach. So unless you're eating organic, go ahead and continue to take a daily vitamin. You don't have to buy it from the gym, though. Just a centrum oughta do ya. Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

I'm doing excellent on my diet, and the lbs are already starting to fall off. :cheer: I still have another week and a half at this calorie level and then I can finally bump it up. :caek: Need to exercise more, but I don't wanna!

[viscousmemories]

That's a good point about the lack of vitamins in some foods, thanks. I do buy a lot of organic stuff, but not everything. Anyway the bottle of multivitamins I bought from them has 90 pills, so I was planning on sticking with it at least until they're gone.

[Ensign Steve]

There's a marathon of shows about the "super" obese on Discovery Health today. Suddenly I'm not very hungry.

I do think it's cute that at my weight I am "morbid", but if I managed to gain another 300 to 800 pounds I would be "super" (thanks for asking). I wonder if that comes with x-ray vision.

[SharonDee]

... I would be "super" (thanks for asking).:biggayal:

:lol:

Well, I went to the workout place Friday and it looked simple enough. It was in a "circuit training" layout, with stations for strength alternated with aerobic stations. Is that typical for these "ladies workout" places? I mean, I've been out of the exercise habit for months now but I can see this bit getting boring before long. The shortest sign-up period they offered was one year at $39.99 a month. If the website my provider pointed me to doesn't get me a better rate, I'm not going.

If only I could get my big butt up in the mornings again for the step workout. Then I could say to hell with these fees.

[Ensign Steve]

Is it "Curves"? That's the typical layout for Curves, but I don't know if there are other ladies workout places that use the same format, unless they're copying. Also Curves is super Christian, which you wouldn't know if you stepped into one in California, but it's glaringly obvious in Georgia. I'm just saying watch your back, Miss Nashville. ;)

[SharonDee]

No, it's not Curves, which I was staying away from for the reason you mention. I even asked the lady running this joint if they had a "religion neutral" environment.

And of course, if I don't choose this joint Curves is the only other outfit the website offers me. Harrumph!

[Qingdai]

I can see circuit training getting boring. I like some variety, such as swimming. How about a regular gym? You can haggle with gyms for a better deal. I pay about $40 a month with no sign up fee.

Saturday I did 37 minutes of running and eliptical. Sunday I took my 3 year old swimming. I was exhausted, but he was still raring to go at 8 pm.

[Ensign Steve]

:flex:

I got up early this morning and ran 2 miles on the treadmill. Then I did about 20 minutes of hamstring, groin, and hip work (yoga) and 10 minutes meditation. :peace3:

My short week is off to a great start. :w00t:

[Clutch Munny]

Sounds great, ES. I didn't bike this morning and am feeling like a slug. Good for you.

[Ensign Steve]

Don't prop me up too much. It's only the 2nd time I've run in a week.

[Shelli]

Good job, Ensign. :shaketribble:

I'm hoping to motivate myself to do a couple miles on the :tread: and then an upper body workout with free weights tonight. :biceps:

[Shelli]

No :tread: tonight because both pairs of my sneakers are at work. :duh:

So... this forced me to choose between no cardio and warm up before the free weights or doing my aerobics workout that I used to do which is more of a workout than the treadmill. I choose the aerobics. :irwinnar:

Then I did, in fact, do my upper body workout with free weights. :biceps:

In total, 1 hour of workout completed. :tiggermonkey:

[biochemgirl]

I'm back and ready to go! Got a good workout yesterday and have been sticking pretty closely to my eating plan. Although, I am having a glass of wine tonight because damn it, I need it :giggle:

Tommorrow I need to go to the store after work and get some food, it's looking pretty bare in my kitchen.

Oh, I actually lost 3 lbs on our vacation because of all the walking and I was being careful about what I was eating. Just a few more pounds and I'll be back where I was before the holidays.

[Shelli]

Go, BCG! :larrybounce:

:wb:

[Shelli]

Forgetting to bring my sneakers home last night turned out to be a positive because it got me to do my aerobics seeing as how I couldn't go on the :tread:. That's a good thing because it was the next step I wanted to take and just wasn't finding the motivation to do so but now that I've begun it's all good. :cheer:

I did aerobics tonight and then a lower body workout. One exercise in the aerobics routine I do entails doing squats. Do those one night after years of being out of practice and then do them again the following night. Ow.

What's cool is that not only is the routine and proper posture for various exercises along with correct breathing coming back to me easily, but I have a refreshing change of :notes: to go along with it thanks to Watser? :shakemonkey:

[Ensign Steve]

I'm jealous that you can do aerobics. I have lots of tapes and DVDs that I like to do, but I live upstaires from somebody, so I can't really do it. I've tried it with stepping lightly, but it's simply impossible. Next month I'm moving to a place where I'll be on the ground floor, and I'm gonna drag the old stepersizer out and get on it.

Go Shelleh! :cheer:

[Shelli]

Oh, cool. Good for you. :=D

and :thankee:

and...

Go Ensign! :shaketribble:

[Qingdai]

Go team!

I will go work out tomorrow and Friday after work. I didn't do much the last two days except chase my son to the local science museum, it's about half a mile of walking. It was nice to get out in the cold sun. There are trees next to the river where we walk that are being beaver chewed!

[Shelli]

Sounds cool, Qingdai. :beaver:

Well, my legs don't hurt as much as I thought they might today but I do need to give them a break today. I'll think of something to do for a warm up tonight that doesn't work them too much before I do my upper body workout. :biceps:

[Alex]

Some of the British newspapers today report that the government has a radical scheme for "tackling the obesity crisis". Overweight people will be offered cash incentives to lose weight and take regular exercise. Employers will be encouraged to set up competitions with money and other rewards for people who give up junk foods and start eating "healthily". Lose a pound and gain a £.

[Suds]

I think I heard you could get gym memberships on precription from the doctor here in Blighty.

There was a report the other night about exercise and dieting. The guy said that dieting could only go so far, if you're not going anorexic, because as you lose weight your metabolism slows and so you burn up less and then the weight goes back on. Yo-yo.
Exercise is the key. He was walking using a pedometer. You're recommended to do 10 000 steps a day. He was aiming for 12 000. Most people barely do 5 000.

[Shelli]

Screw it. After a long ass, icky day at work where nothing went right and a body hurting from the workouts I gave it already this week, I gave myself the night off. :posting:

[Qingdai]

Well I coughed my way to the gym and did 25 minutes on the treadmill. Tomorrow, swimming.

[Ensign Steve]

I did a two-mile run this afternoon (in 40 degree cold) as party of my company's "fitness fest". I've been doing real good on the eating, too, and I haven't had a drop of alcohol in three weeks. It took a lot of willpower not to buy a bottle of wine today, especially since it's Friday.

[Dingfod]

I encountered a bit of a hitch in my "Dingfod's Winter Fitness Program" when my lower back went all wonky on me after a set of night shifts, which is not that uncommon, which is why I usually take it easy for at least one day after night shifts. Last Friday I was hurting, but Saturday it was worse, so I went to my chiroquacker, who made sure it was worse. By Monday I could barely walk, but managed to make it to work. Tuesday, my back was better so I skipped seeing the quack again. Wednesday I had a relapse after wrestling with Spider-Man* Tuesday evening. Yesterday was a little better and it positively feels marvelous today. So, after I'm done with this set of night shifts and my little medical procedure** I'm going in for Tuesday, I'm good to go for a couple hours of picking up faggots and piling them.


*my grandson, who loves to wrestle his Pappa while pretending he is Spider-Man, sometimes in costume; he sure is strong for a 4 year old, which may have something to do with a red and blue spider he says bit him on the hand last week.

**colonoscopy, not because I think I need it, but because I'm over 50 and haven't had one yet.

[biochemgirl]

I got three cardio workouts in this week and tommorrow will be weigh in for week one. I also did pretty well with eating even though I had a few stress out days.

[Ensign Steve]

:cheer: biochemgirl! Good luck weighing in tomorrow! Are you going to some kind of center or doing it on your own?

I have my own weigh-in tomorrow as well, at weight watchers. It'll be for a two-week loss because we didn't meet last week because of the MLK holiday. I'm expecting about a 5-lb loss, which combined with the 2.something I lost the first week, makes an average of 2.5 lbs per week so far. It's not as much as the 3/week I need to meet the challenge my leader set for me, but I'm not about to turn my nose up at the average I got! I'm really looking forward to getting back under 185, as that will take me from "obese" to just "overweight" for my height, according to all the charts. I'm probably about one or 2 pounds away from that right now.

[Shelli]

Way ta go, BCG & Ensign :w00t:

[biochemgirl]

:cheer: biochemgirl! Good luck weighing in tomorrow! Are you going to some kind of center or doing it on your own?

I have my own weigh-in tomorrow as well, at weight watchers. It'll be for a two-week loss because we didn't meet last week because of the MLK holiday. I'm expecting about a 5-lb loss, which combined with the 2.something I lost the first week, makes an average of 2.5 lbs per week so far. It's not as much as the 3/week I need to meet the challenge my leader set for me, but I'm not about to turn my nose up at the average I got! I'm really looking forward to getting back under 185, as that will take me from "obese" to just "overweight" for my height, according to all the charts. I'm probably about one or 2 pounds away from that right now.

I just do it myself. I find I am my own best motivator because I will kick my butt :giggle:

Good luck on your weigh in!

[Shelli]

I'm being totally lazy today in the fitness aspect although I did dig out 1 1/2 buckets of poopsicles with a long handled, heavy shovel this afternoon so that has to count for something. :shakepoo:

[biochemgirl]

Damn you poopsicles! :giggle:

I am down 3.4 lbs this morning :woohoo:

I wasn't quite expecting that. I had wanted to get more workouts in but it's better than nothing right?

Also, something I already knew but I guess I rediscovered, it is a lot harder to eat enough calories when you are eating the right foods. And when you increase your amount of good quality whole grains you automatically get more protein in fiber...score!

On to next week - goal is to get 4 workouts in and if that goes well the week after I might start adding in strength training. I want to get my cardio really established first though.

[Shelli]

Awesome, BCG! :victory:

[Ensign Steve]

:cheer: Excellent job, biochemgirl!!

[Ensign Steve]

You guys! I totally lost 5.4 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

:hotmoves:

And I get to increase my calories by 200 per day! :caek:

[Pinecone]

You guys! I totally lost 5.4 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

:hotmoves:

And I get to increase my calories by 200 per day! :caek:

:cheer:

[biochemgirl]

You guys! I totally lost 5.4 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

:hotmoves:

And I get to increase my calories by 200 per day! :caek:

:woohoo: You totally rocked it :yup:

[Shelli]

You guys! I totally lost 5.4 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

:hotmoves:

And I get to increase my calories by 200 per day! :caek:
WOOOOOOOO!!! :bunnythrust:

[Shelli]

I did my aerobics tonight along with my upper body workout. :pushup:

Now I'm STARVING! :hungry:

[Shelli]

I stepped up my aerobics tonight and then did my lower body workout. :situp: :flex:

[Shelli]

Hey! Where'd everybody go? :look:

Well my legs aren't screaming at me from the aerobics followed by the workout from last night this time, so there's progress! :w00t:

I'm taking a break tonight though. :yup2:

[viscousmemories]

I'm still here! :mememe:

For the last week or so I've been up to 60 minutes on the elliptical 3 times and still doing personal training twice a week. In fact I'll be at the mercy of the trainer in an hour. I've also been recording my calories diligently, but I'm not sure how well I've been doing at that. I try to enter everything I eat, but I eat out so much it's really a guessing game a lot of times.

Hmm... maybe I'll start a calorie guessing game thread in which I'll post pictures of restaurant food along with a brief description, and have everyone guess at the calorie content.

[Ensign Steve]

I think I'd be very good at a game like that, actually.

[Shelli]

Go vm! :cheer:

[Dingfod]

One polyp. Probably benign.

[Shelli]

Oh, also, I've been meaning to thank you, vm, for starting this thread along with all the :ff: supporters of, so, :thankee:

I don't get much support for the healthy lifestyle I'm trying to lead IRL. Many people, in fact, are dismissive or down right negative toward me in regards to it. :hmph:

:ffglomp:

[Ensign Steve]

I see that a lot at WW. People's parters or families or friends are really like the opposite of supportive of their efforts to be healthy. I don't know if it has to do with jealousy, or they fear that you are changing into a different person, or you won't need them anymore, or whatnot. But you get a lot of sabotague and really shitty behavior. Sorry you have to deal with that, but yeah you got us for support!

:hug:

[Shelli]

:vibes:

[viscousmemories]

I think I'd be very good at a game like that, actually.

Show me! (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15422)

[biochemgirl]

Way to go vm! :cheer:

And I have to second the whole weight loss support thing. I don't even tell anybody in real life what I'm doing, people have an opinon on everything and I've found I just don't need theirs on this.

[Suds]

Well done all!!

I don't get much support for the healthy lifestyle I'm trying to lead IRL. Many people, in fact, are dismissive or down right negative toward me in regards to it

It really gets you down when people piss on your parade. You're trying to change and improve your life, it's like WTF?

I had to go down another belt hole this morning as my jeans were slipping down and I was standing on the cuffs(?)
I was 55 kg on Wednesday, about 121lb. I was worried but I'm actually going back to how I was a few years ago.

[Ensign Steve]

I've been eating like a little piggie this week. My extra 200 calories per day somehow managed to multiply and conquer. But I am turning it around today! I went on a three mile run first thing this morning, and then did half an hour of yoga. :flex: Now to drink a million gallons of water and flush the salt out of my body before my weigh in on Monday.

[viscousmemories]

Way to get back on that horse, Steve-o.

[Shelli]

Well done all!!

I don't get much support for the healthy lifestyle I'm trying to lead IRL. Many people, in fact, are dismissive or down right negative toward me in regards to it

It really gets you down when people piss on your parade. You're trying to change and improve your life, it's like WTF?It's been suggested to me that many such people feel threatened by it, like they somehow feel lesser about themselves due to it. :shrug:

I had to go down another belt hole this morning as my jeans were slipping down and I was standing on the cuffs(?)
I was 55 kg on Wednesday, about 121lb. I was worried but I'm actually going back to how I was a few years ago.As long as you're okay with that, good for you. :=)


I've been eating like a little piggie this week. My extra 200 calories per day somehow managed to multiply and conquer. But I am turning it around today! I went on a three mile run first thing this morning, and then did half an hour of yoga. :flex: Now to drink a million gallons of water and flush the salt out of my body before my weigh in on Monday.Go, Ensign! :cheer:



I actually ate at :bk: today. :gasp: There was grease running down my hands from the double bacon cheeseburger that I was eating. :gross: I was so hungry at the time though, that I pushed my revulsion aside and wolfed it down along with the fries. By the time I got home, I was so disgusted by the aftertaste that I couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough to :brush:. :phew:

I made up for it later though with a bowl of high fiber, Kashi cereal with soy:milk:, blueberries and ground flaxseeds. Then, I went to the mall to go to discount shoe outlet and while at the mall, I had a big Greek :salad: including chickpeas, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, banana peppers (yum!), olives, feta cheese and dressing along with a couple of grape leaves with rice stuffing. :yum:

Tomorrow night I'll be doing my aerobics and upper body workout. :biceps:

[Qingdai]

In spite of wedding madness that has taken over my life (OK weekend), I made it to the gym and did 20 minutes of elliptical training and 10 minutes of rowing machine. My lungs are still healing, which is a bit worrisome.
I'd like to work on endurance, but it may be too soon.

Hope your polyp is benign Dingfod. One of my friends had the same procedure right before her wedding and the diet she had to eat before the procedure made her drop those last five troublesome pounds. I was just glad there was nothing seriously wrong with her.

An occasional greasy burger is not the end of the world, Shelli. There should be some room for improvisation in any diet.

[Shelli]

An occasional greasy burger is not the end of the world, Shelli. There should be some room for improvisation in any diet.Not the end of the world, no, but it will be the last time I repulse myself by eating a :bk: double bacon cheeseburger. I don't always eat healthy, for sure, (take the nights that I indulge in a double order of :ramen: with baby :pickle: for dinner, per instance) and I agree that it's no biggie now and then, but that was just gross. :gross: So, so gross. :nojustno:

[biochemgirl]

Shelli, you mentioned Kashi cereal. I just have to say Kashi has so many great products. I absolutely love their stuff!

As for this week for me, I got three workouts in and I will do another one here shortly. My eating was o.k., I definitely had a very stressful almost nervous breakdown week so it for sure could have been better. I really need to work on cutting down the stress eating. One thing though, with hubby gone I am keeping a lot healthier things in the house so there is not near the temptation that there used to be.

[biochemgirl]

No weight loss this week, although I'm pretty sure I'm retaining some water. I did get 4 workouts in and this week I hope to add in some strength training.

[viscousmemories]

I was craving a Chick-fil-a sandwich the other night, so I did some research and found that if you order the classic sandwich with no butter (ie. unbuttered bun) it's only 380 calories and 13g of fat. Alas a large order of waffle fries weighs in at even more, so I just had two chicken sandwiches for dinner. :D

[Shelli]

:cheer: Go, bcg & vm! :cheer:

[Dingfod]

One polyp. Probably benign.Definitely benign. :yay:

[livius drusus]

That's awesome, Ding. :squeezle:

[Shelli]

:phew:

[Pinecone]

:cheer: Ding!!

I started a 12 week diet/exercise program this morning.
I've only been awake for a couple of hours so I'm doing ok so far. :giggle:

[Shelli]

:giggles:

Pincone is powering up! :shakepinecone:

[Ensign Steve]

Excellent news, Walter! :chestram:

vm, the waffle fries at Chick-fil-a are so good, I am super impressed you avoided them!

I was up at weight watchers this week, but by less than a pound, which is way better than I thought I would do. :phew: I keep alternating between stress eating and celebration drinking, and it's wreaking havoc on my diet. :doh:

[Shelli]

:phew: indeed, Ensign. :cheer:

I screwed off all day at work which left me plenty of energy to work out tonight. I did my aerobics along with my upper body workout. :biceps:

I'm seeing and feeling progress too. :flex:

[biochemgirl]

Good news Ding! :woohoo:

Way to go Shelli!!

I keep alternating between stress eating and celebration drinking, and it's wreaking havoc on my diet. :doh:


Me too, only mine was stress eating and depressed drinking :blush: I have a new workout plan for this week though so hopefully that will be a healthier outlet. :yup:

[viscousmemories]

I got discouraged this evening. I spent a lot of time cooking food on Sunday so it'd be easier to count calories throughout the week, but then everything went screwy today. First I woke up late, so had to eat at the cafeteria at work. That isn't too bad: Egg beater omelette, buttered english muffin and skim milk. Easy enough to calculate. But then for lunch, my boss wanted to go to a pho place. I love pho but I have no idea how to calculate it. Or rather, I find it very difficult to believe that a bowl of chicken noodle soup is really the thousands of calories (literally) it's supposed to be. Then when I sat down to calculate the chili I made yesterday I was confronted with a frequent annoyance: trying to figure out which of the dozen possible "mock tender roast" varieties is the one I used. Separable? Lean? Trim? 1/4" fat? Choice? Grade A? Etc. Fuckin' ridiculous. I had a bowl anyway, despite having (apparently) exceeded my daily calorie allowance by eating pho and not really knowing if the calorie count for the chili I settled on was accurate. Oh yeah, and before I left work one of the instructors handed me a salad with grilled chicken and lite ranch dressing, which I immediately wolfed down. Of course there was no nutritional info available.

Ugh. Oh well, I did my workout today. :sigh:

[Qingdai]

I got to the gym today and did 15 minutes on the stair thing and 15 minutes of treadmill.
I drank some champagne at the wedding, but a number of the guests were vegan so the food was pretty healthy considering. I probably ate about 5 servings of vegetables and fruit at both the rehearsal dinner and reception.
I would have been stress eating, but there wasn't any food while we were waiting to be "made glamourous."

[Shelli]

I only ache a little today and only from a couple of areas that I did extra work with last night. I did more :pushup: and more reps of an exercise that works the shoulder muscles. :w00t:

[Pinecone]

Day Two

I survived. Barely.
The upper body work out left a knot under my shoulder blade that hurts a bit.
Because I didn't get my pound of daily chocolate and cookies, I forgot to drink enough coffee and had a headache by late afternoon.
But I was good and did not attack any chocolate bars even though I REALLY REALLY wanted to stab anyone in the head for one.

Did 20 minutes of treadmill this morning. Chocolate Protien Bars do not make up for real chocolate but they do help to get more coffee down so hoping no headache today.

[Shelli]

Good for you, Pinecone. :huggle:

[Shelli]

I did my aerobics and then my lower body workout tonight. :situp: :flex:

[biochemgirl]

Good job everybody!

Yesterday I got in a cardio. I do intervals of increasing speed and incline and my legs were killing me so badly I wanted to quit. But I told myself to suck it up and finish and I did. I went to do some strength training but couldn't find my dumbbells. Called hubby later and he had put them in some very strange place so at least now I know where they are.

This morning I got up at 4:45 and got a cardio in. I can not believe I succeeded in dragging myself out of bed 45 minutes earlier. :giggle: So tonight hopefully I can limit the overtime and get home and get a nice strength training session in and hopefully enough time to do some other things around the house.

[Shelli]

Yay for bcg! :victory:

I hardly hurt at all this morning. Yay for progress! :hands2:

[Pinecone]

Day Three

No headache yesterday so the three cups of coffee over the morning worked. The urge to kill for chocolate diminished. That fast?! The love of my life?! How quickly you are dropping as my obsession. I'm such a cad. :sadno:

Lower body work-out this morning.

[Shelli]

:cheer: :shakepinecone: :cheer:

[viscousmemories]

I had my 9th training session today (out of 10) and decided to re-up for 10 more. It's expensive but I just don't see myself putting anything like the same amount of effort into working out without regular sessions with a trainer. One day, just not yet. It's been a lot of work counting calories and working out regularly, but it's paying off. I've lost weight, gained strength and learned a lot about nutrition.

[Qingdai]

Good work vm. It's hard to get motivated sometimes.
It helps to have a work out buddy of some sort, preferably someone you can compete with, without it being overly dramatic.

[Shelli]

Good for you, vm. :victory:

[Ensign Steve]

That's so awesome! I want a personal trainer, too.

[Shelli]

I have one. :yup2: And is she ever one tough task master. :whipping:

However, she relented and let me take last night off, but it's back to the whipping post tonight. :tremble:

:giggle:

[Pinecone]

Free Day!!

[Pinecone]

It's a conspiracy! IT'S A CONSPIRACY!! :rush:

I attempted to eat my hoarded chocolate just now on my FREE DAY!! And it tastes like KRAPP!! They knew that didn't they? DIDN'T THEY!!??

You eat really healthy and don't cheat and they give you a 'free day'. They did NOT mention that your favorite junk food would taste like KRAPP! That your taste buds would change that fast! No wonder they say in just 12 weeks you could be fit and trim WITH a free day every week. :glare: Oh goodie a free day ... I think I'll have extra tofo and cabbage sprouts!!! Num Num Num. :glare:

I'll bet some of you knew that didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!!?? :glare:

[Shelli]

:rofl: Pinecone is teh funneh. :giggles:

[biochemgirl]

Good for you vm!

Oh and speaking of chocolate..

The husband had said my Valentine's Day present would arrive today and sure enough I came home to a UPS box from Godiva. :beloved: Now I love Godiva, I mean LOVE it, but I will never spend the money on it for myself. You would think that would not be good for the whole fitness thing but actually I find I can have a few pieces of Godiva and feel much more satisfied than if I had crappy chocolate. Ah...chocolate of the gods! :chocohol: Now I'm going to hit the treadmill so I can have some tonight.

[Shelli]

Oooo.. Godiva! :drooleek:

I did my aerobics tonight and then my upper body workout. That's three nights this week that I did my workout! Go me! :w00t:

I plan on doing my aerobics and then my lower body workout Saturday which will make four workouts this week which is my goal each week. Eventually, I want to add a mile on the :tread: in the mornings, but one step at a time. :walk:

I love it when the adrenaline kicks in. When it does, I usually get a brief few moments of goosebumps even. It's the awesome. :biggrin: Working out weeknights makes me feel so much more "alive" than when I just come home, carry out my nightly drudgery, and then plop down in front of the puter. :blah:

The end of my workout is usually punctuated with my three :dog:s piling on top of me and bringing me :tennisball:s to throw when I'm trying to do my stretches on my mat. :giggle: So, I end up playing with them while I do my best with my stretches considering that I've now lost most of my mat to furballs who are all vying for attention. :^^

I lurv my fur kids. :heart:

[Clutch Munny]

Last two mornings have been great workouts: masses of wet, heavy snow in the driveway, with a waist-high ridge of (apparently) snow-coloured lead at the bottom of the driveway where the plow went past.

That'll kill 600 calories in short order, believe you me.

[Shelli]

I believe. :yup2: Been there. :sweaty:

[Pinecone]

Day Five

Back on treadmill and back to cabbage sprouts.

But FREE DAY wasn't a total bust! I had a pecan danish from my favorite bakery and it was MARVYLICIOUS!! Then later had some calamari that was excellent as well so all was goodness in the end even if the chocolate wasn't. I definitely agree that a box of Godiva's are far superior diet food than junk chocolate. I did in fact go on a diet once where I got one Godiva every day and I did very well on it because they were so exquisite! :bliss:

[biochemgirl]

That they are :nod:

Well I was doing o.k. today but I made a batch of cookies to send to hubby in his Valentine's Day package and there were leftovers. Now granted I didn't have as much as I usually would but I did have too much. Now I feel too full and like ralphing.

I'm having trouble with the nightime eating. I think it's boredom more than anything. I'm hoping next week to actually keep an accurate log of my food intake. I'm not predicting much of a loss for this week.

[Suds]

Oh god the chocolates!!
My dining table is groaning under the weight of chocs and biscuits and other assorted goodies. Luckily they are mainly high quality makes. I'm trying to have maybe one piece of something a day. They have fairly long shelf lives so don't need to be scoffed in a week. Just remembered my freezer has a load of cakes and desserts in it aswell.

The annoying thing for me is that a certain type of bad weight gain is genetically programmed into Indians. Also a propensity for heart disease and diabetes. My little fat pad on my belly button area is going but it's that area which is susceptible to fat deposition. It's called apple-shaped and I think is the worst area for it.( As aside to pear shaped which is the hips and bum)
The Creator was cruel for giving us such a sweet tooth and cursing us with those health problems.

[Pinecone]

Day Six

Upper Body workout and no cheating eating. I have grown very fond of the Myoplex chocolate peanutbutter bars as they give me the 'sweet and chocolate' hit I need to get through a day. They also have many grams of protein. I eat half of one in the morning and the other half in the evening.

[Dingfod]

Two hours chopping wood again, I'm back at it, working until I feel pain shooting down the back of my legs. Damn sciatica.

[Shelli]

Go us! :allglomp:

[Clutch Munny]

I had my 9th training session today (out of 10) and decided to re-up for 10 more. It's expensive but I just don't see myself putting anything like the same amount of effort into working out without regular sessions with a trainer. One day, just not yet. It's been a lot of work counting calories and working out regularly, but it's paying off. I've lost weight, gained strength and learned a lot about nutrition.

Good job, sir.

[biochemgirl]

Day Six

Upper Body workout and no cheating eating. I have grown very fond of the Myoplex chocolate peanutbutter bars as they give me the 'sweet and chocolate' hit I need to get through a day. They also have many grams of protein. I eat half of one in the morning and the other half in the evening.

I'm always looking for good high protein bars. I looked up the nutritional info on those...not too shabby at all! Much better than my whey protein.

So far this week I have gotten 3 cardio and two strength training sessions. I'm still looking for the right strength training regimen for me but until then I'm doing some of the ones I have in the past. I will probably get another cardio in today too.

I'm also going to work on fine tuning my eating this week. It's fine all day until night hits and then there's too much nibbling. I think I might go back to strictly following the core program for awhile until I can get fully on track. Maybe I need a little structure for awhile.

[biochemgirl]

I said screw it and got my butt on the treadmill for another cardio - making 4 for the week :woohoo: Maybe I'll feel motivated to get off the computer and do something today? :think:

[Shelli]

Go, bcg! :tread:

[Pinecone]

Day Seven

Treadmill again. (What I'm doing is just one thing a day - in rotation- Upper Body/Treadmill/Lower Body/Treadmill - repeat) I think (hope) I can stick to that. Only 11 more weeks to go ... Only?

Go US Go!! :cheer:

[Shelli]

:bunnythrust:

[Dingfod]

More hours out chopping wood. I now figure I have the chopping down to 3 or 4 more days worth, with a little more than that in piling up branches. I discovered today that pecan wood is a lot easier to saw up than oak or hickory.

[biochemgirl]

Down 1.2 lbs this week, which is pretty darn good considering the eating hasn't been too stellar. All the cardio must be paying off!

Goal for this week is to get the eating on track.

[Pinecone]

Day Eight

keepin on ... keepin on

[Shelli]

Day 8 out of how many again, Pinecone? And when it's done, then what?

[Pinecone]

Twelve weeks or 84 days.

It's just a mini program to 'reprogram' you to get fit and to stay fit. Me ... I'm hoping to get my size 12 butt to 'slip' (as opposed to struggle) back into my size 8 jeans. If I don't make my 'goal' by the 84th day I figure to just add days until I do. At that point I will (should) have a maintenance schedule because I will know what weights to lift and how much treadmilling got me to my goal and then just adjust accordingly if need be to what is 'suppose' to be a 'life' plan. I guess I'll worry about that if and when the jeans fit. It's kind of an easy diet/exercise plan but will it work? Don't know ... but if it does it would be the kind I might be able to maintain as I wouldn't have to do 'more' than whatever it ends up at.

[Shelli]

Ah, okay. :=) Good for you, Pinecone. :cheer:

[Shelli]

I can't wait to get home tonight so I can do my workout. :eager:

[Shelli]

Aerobics and lower body workout.. done! :larrybounce:

[Pinecone]

Day 9

:thumbup:

[Shelli]

:w00t:

[biochemgirl]

Way to go guys! :cheer:

I came home and got a cardio session in. Earlier in the week I had recorded "Total Body Sculpt With Gilad" on Discovery Health Channel thinking this might be the answer to the perfect strength training session for me..and that it was. I feel the burn...I feel it everywhere! So I think I'm going to keep doing this at least 2 times a week. The real test will be to see how I feel tommorrow.

I'm pretty proud of myself from being up way early dealing with snow, not sleeping well last night, and still coming home after a long day of work and getting a cardio and strength training session in. :woohoo: I really really hate strength training but I am trying to suck it up.

[Shelli]

Awesome, bcg! :cheer: :girlscientist: :cheer:

Looks like tonight will be my night off this week. :nod: I woke up with a headache, running nose but also congested. I got rid of the :headache: and runny nose :snot: but I'm still a little congested (I didn't take anything for the congestion but it's really not that bad which is why I didn't) and I'm soooo tired. I've been tired all day. :blah: So, I decided that after coming home, poopsicle scooping the yard :shakepoo:, changing litter boxes :shakepoo:, starting a load of :laundry:, putting a full load of clean dishes away :shakedishsoap:, opening the mail :gotmail:, & taking care of the animals :dog: :cat:, that I was done for the day. :sleepy:

Anyone wanna cook me dinner? :cook:

[biochemgirl]

Sure! I have some dinner cooking right now and since it's just me and the puppies there are extras!

Hope you feel better Shelli. Although with all you did after coming home I wouldn't call that a "night off" either ;)

[Shelli]

:thankee: :hungry:

[Pinecone]

Day 10

Go team!! :cheer:

[ShottleBop]

Part of my prediabetes regime is to get more exercise and to lose some weight. (According to web resources, losing as little as 5%-10% of your weight can drastically improve things.) Sunday night, Mrs. ShottleBop and I walked the mile or so to our neighborhood Trader Joe's and bought veggies an' stuff, and I've taken a half-hour walk at lunch for each of the last two days. Weight is now down a couple of pounds.

I got my Accu-chek blood sugar monitor Monday night, and last night, I took my first blood test. 45 mins. after a dinner of shrimp and calamari (pre-cooked and frozen, from Trader Joe's) in marsala sauce (from Trader Joe's) with white beans and fresh celery, my sugar level was 112. I don't go to my prediabetes class until next Tuesday, so I don't even know if this is good, but I'm thinkin' it can't be too bad, if it's lower than the fasting blood sugar levels of 123 and 127 that led to my doctor prescribing the monitor. I'm going to check my morning blood sugar level, now.