hey pandora, i really dont exercise as routinely as i should. im pretty comfortable with my body except my stomach so i do crunches and ab exercises a lot whenever i find time (in front of the tv mostly, lol). sounds like you have a pretty intense workout, and dancing sounds so much more fun than just running on a treadmill. 8) april
i have been doing about a half an hour of either the elliptical trainer or stationary bike 3 days on, 1 day off since about the second week of january. i also do some weight lifting afterwards. all in all, i haven't really had a "weight loss" in some time, but i can see more muscles underneath the surface. the spots i most want to see some results are in my abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks, and there have been some, but still have a way to go. it just takes some time and dedication to the cause is all.
Guess mine falls into two sections - the "do it every day because you do" and the "try to do it most days because its fun and great of you can" Section the first (and bear in mind this is after almost two years of weight loss and is the maintenance dose so to speak): DAILY: 25 full leg "L" leg raises to above the waist (you hang from a lat tower for these) - twice a day - morning and evening; 25 vertical knee raises above the waist - twice a day - morning and evening; 6 full arm pull ups (bar is 7-1/2 feet above floor) twice a day - morning and evening. Section the second - walking. My usual circuit is the trail at Kennesaw Mountain that runs frm the visitor center over the top of Kennesaw Mountain, to Little Kennesaw Mountain and then on to Pigeon Hill and back. The circuit is about 5 miles or so, with an 1100 foot vertical rise during the first mile of the trail. I try to do this about 4-6 days per week and average about 5 days per week. The circuit takes about an hour and 5 minutes now. 3 days a week I add what we called "lateral deltoids" in ROTC - arms extended from the shoulder, make circles the size of a 9" softball - 300 repepetitions without weights, 100 if you use 5 pound weights. I repeat I didn't START at this level. It started by walking around my house. Once. repeat 2-4 daays a week. Make it TWICE around the house. go another week. Add two houses, etc. (all on level). The difficulty of the work out increased gradually over time. The trick was to reverse the process (gradually) from NO activity back to my old habits of a LOT of actiivty. Works well :) GridRunner Highest Weight 386+ Current 168
Gridrunner....You are my hero! I weigh 274 lbs. right now as of my weigh in on Tuesday at Weight Watchers. It's all I can do to walk twice a day at 3 mi. an hour for 30 minutes. I really want to be physically strong like that. I have very good stamina physically. I'm excited about the time when I will reach my goals of where I want to be with my body. I know you said you didn't start out at this level but my mouth dropped at your present...I guess...work-out...more like training for Hercules! ANd to think of where you started...it's just amazing and very motivating. When I grow up I want to be like you. :D YOU ROCK!!!! Cindy
You are going to make me blush! Seriously - the whole trick was to do SOMETHING more than you are NOW. And then ratchet the activity level up the same way it ramped down (or if its always been that way - great - no past bad experiences <LOL>) 3 miles per hour over 30 minutes is terrific. If you can handle that awesome. Then after 2-4 weeks at that level.. add something. Go a tenth or 2 of a mile faster,or go another 1-5 minutes longer, or do it one more time a week. I guess some "befoe" and "after"pics might be in order at some point - but it CAN be done. Just think "lifestyle change" and you get an idea of the journey you're on. Oh yeah, and no magic bullets: its eat less/better AND exercise more. But that's another story. Good luck and let me know how it goes. David
Have you ever thought about writing a book? I must be starting to sound like your groupie or something but you seem to have really mastered this whole weight thing. I just think where you were and where you are now is great. I'm on the road to being where you are. At least I'm on the road. I've been stopping for a candy bar once in awhile and waving others on but I keep standing back up and trying again. I love success stories. I love meeting people that have/are learning about their bodies and their minds. That's one reason I like weight watchers so much. I believe my weight problem was given to me from God as an adversity to overcome in this life. I need to learn how to love myself and my body. I have two little boys that are looking to me as an example. My self esteem and my health are being observed by them at all times. I better do a good job if I want them to be healthy. I'm in this for the long haul though. As long as it takes. If it takes me 5 years fine. I don't care how long it takes because I love what I'm learning in the meantime...about how my body works and who I am. Its not the destination but the journey that matters. I think that if I learn to eat and live healthy that would be more important than the weight I lose. Sometimes you just gotta shut up and get to work! That's what my grandma used to say. She was a smart lady. I still think you should write a book. :) Cindy