<p>Went to the gym again today…that makes 3 in a row! Rode the bike again for 40 minutes and then lifted weights and used upper body machines for 40 minutes. Seemed to go by quickly as I worked with a friend. Hope I can get in the routine of going to work out on a consistent basis!</p>
<p>NoMinn:</p>
<p>Good job! That’s a lot of exercise. Makes me tired just thinking about 40 minutes on the bike and weight exercises.</p>
<p>I’m trying to get psyched up for an iPod butt-kicking this afternoon. This is the workout that just tore me up on Monday. I’m looking for revenge today!</p>
<p>Well, I got through it and that’s about all I can say about that. Stronger than Monday. Completed all the exercises, both circuits, but these just kick me backwards and forwards. Reaching for the pause button! Ended with 12 hard intervals on the bike, 10 seconds hard, 30 seconds recovery. I kinda got in the zone. Heartrate stabiliized at 85% and I did the fastest pedaling on the last interval.</p>
<p>Six days in a row is probably one too many for me. I’m feelin’ it. Tomorrow is a rest day. Probably walk on Sunday.</p>
<p>I went to EIGHT exercise classes at the Y over the last seven days! Three Zumba, two regular aerobics, two step aerobics, one jazz dance. Still not losing much weight, but my tummy sure looks better.</p>
<p>I’ve been weighing myself at a consistent time (first thing in the morning) for a few weeks now. There doesn’t seem to be short-term correlation between the scales and eating/exercise – just a longer trend with ups and downs along the way.</p>
<p>Doing that kind of weekly exercise, you would almost have to lose weight if you were previously fairly stable before you started exercising. If you keep that up, I’m sure the scale will start showing it!</p>
<p>Apparently building some muscle does tend to mask the results of fat loss on the scale. I think that’s the inherent flaw in the extreme diets like lo-carb or starvation – you end up losing lean muscle mass which in turn makes it that much easier to pack on the fat due to reduced metabolism. In other words, the muscle is essential in reducing fat over the long haul, in part because it makes you feel better about exercising!</p>
<p>I wrapped up my first 8 weeks of eating less and first 6 weeks of moving more (exercise five days a week) this morning. Lost just a hair over 15 pounds and went down two inches on my waist size for jeans. I’m pleased with that, especially because I think it understates the improvements I see and feel in my fitness level.</p>
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<p>This is going to be an incredible test for me. I don’t know what she was thinking and I’m not going to ask, but my wife came home from the grocery story and there is now a half-gallon of Breyers mint chocolate chip ice cream in my freezer. My favorite flavor. I am determined to not eat one spoonful of the stuff. One thing I learned from quitting smoking is that, when you are on a roll, use that motivation to keep it going. Don’t fall for the “I’ve been so good, I deserve a little reward” trap. I’m holding out for the reward of seeing the next 15 pounds disappear.</p>
<p>i-dad, I agree, it is the overall trend that’s important. Like the stock market 
And muscle does weigh more than equal volume of fat. According to my scale, I have not lost a pound in the last month or so, but I had to retire a couple of pairs of jeans because they became loose in the waist.</p>
<p>DH decided to weigh himself every morning for a few weeks. This morning it looked like he lost 2 pounds since Monday. Seeing the result, he said, “Cool! Let me lose one more!” and ran off to the bathroom :D</p>
<p>Great job, everyone!</p>
<p>Good for you, IDad!</p>
<p>There are some food items that are particularly hard to eat in moderation and it sounds like the mint choc chip would be one of yours. So, if you are tempted, hear my voice saying, very sternly, “Step away from the freezer!”</p>
<p>At some point, a little bowl of that would not cause your demise, but I have a hunch it is too soon to try that.</p>
<p>Maybe you are just getting so buffed, your wife is getting nervous!! :)</p>
<p>I could eat a small bowl of it, but it’s principle of the thing. It’s like the bag of tortilla chips that I left unopened in the cupboard for a month!</p>
<p>I’m negotiating with her about our bike ride tomorrow. I suggested a nice five mile loop on back roads around a lake for our first test run. I haven’t been on my 18-speed bike in 20 years. I can’t sell her on an easy test run. She’s going on a straight line – five miles one way, five miles back because that’s what she used to do the last time she rode her bike 10 years ago.</p>
<p>I’m not too worried about the mileage. If I can do 7.5 miles on the Airdyne, 10 miles on the bike should be no problem. But, I’m a big guy and that’s a little bitty racing seat on a racing bike with racing handlebars, way bent over to ride it, and I don’t know for sure how all that is going to get along 'til I spend half an hour riding the thing. If I recall, there was a period of – ahem – some acclimatization to that seat, even back when I was a young whippersnapper.</p>
<p>So we may pump up the tires and head off in separate directions, I don’t know.</p>
<p>
Yes, be careful here. A year ago my son was using his bike for most of his transportation. He called home about 5am one morning to ask what to do if he couldn’t, as the old folks say, “pass water”. Had him go to ER of course and after some testing and examinations, found he had prostatitis due to biking. Evidently this is not that uncommon even in young men. Took about three months to clear up and he now has a bike seat designed to try and prevent those problems.</p>
<p>(Sorry if too much information there) ;)</p>
<p>A lot of people who do intense exercise to lose weight will slowly gain it back because over the years, they can’t or won’t continue the same intense training. The best way I think together with exercise is to eat less food progressively so your stomach is trained to feel full after a small amount of food.</p>
<p>I am 5’2" and have never weighed more than 100 lbs except during my pregnancies. You can say I am a perpetual dieter to be able to maintain that weight. I’ve learned over the years to eat all the food I like and I don’t like to deny myself the pleasure of good food but at “sample” portions. A couple tablespoons of ice cream and a small sliver of cheese cake won’t put weight on me. My family loves a good buffet dinner and I go along with them, I sample whatever I like and the next day, I eat less to compensate.</p>
<p>cbreeze, I’m with you. (Although I’m a little shorter and a little heavier.) I eat everything I want – but only in small portions. </p>
<p>Went on a three-mile walk in the woods today with the doggies. Came home craving a big fat juicy navel orange. Yum. The chocolate chip cookies I made for S2 last night weren’t as appealing.</p>
<p>24 miles on the bike with DH. Nice fast pace. On the river. Beautiful out there today! </p>
<p>IDAD…please think about investing in a new seat. They sell seats with gel at any bike shop…I think about 30 dollars. There’s nothing worse then riding on a bike that causes pain. H and I rented bad bikes at a shop last year in Florida…I thought I was going to DIE. Ended up walking the bike more than riding it. And before I forget, congrats on those 15 lbs…awesome job! I don’t know about that mint ice cream purchase…just stay away, and if you do that long enough, it’ll get ice burn and taste bad anyway !</p>
<p>Perhaps Mrs. interesteddad is trying to sabotage Mr. interesteddad.</p>
<p>interesteddad, definitely think about getting a new bike seat if the one you have isn’t working for you. But the dirty secret, from people who actually ride bikes long distances for pleasure, is that gel seats are not comfortable for any distance. You want a seat that lets you sit on your sit bones rather than soft flesh.</p>
<p>anyone else filling the plastic easter eggs? D who is 15 still wants to hunt. I ate a few of the chocolates and they just didn’t taste good. Definitely not worth the calories.</p>
<p>Ouch. I definitely don’t want to be sitting on any “soft flesh”…</p>
<p>I think I have a gel cover on the bike now. I don’t really remember for sure. The bike has been suspended over the hood of a car from a rope pulley for years. I just lowered it halfway and cleaned and lubed the chain and gear deraillers. If I end up enjoying riding it around here, it’ll need new handbar foams and a functional seat. Probably fresh tires. </p>
<p>I’d like to do a few “proof of concept” rides first.</p>
<p>I got on an elliptical today. Seemed easy enough, but my knees started hurting within a minute and I don’t have any knee pain normally. Weird. There must be a trick to it.</p>
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<p>It was “on sale” and she knew it was my favorite flavor, which is certainly true.</p>
<p>I think some people like the elliptical and some don’t. I used to do the stepper, but found it boring and I can’t read on the dreadmill. I think it’s easier to read on the stepper than the elliptical, but I’ve got the hang of it now, and I find it much less boring than the stepper. I’d rather take a walk outside, but lately I’ve been feeling like if I’m out there I ought to jog. And then it’s much less enjoyable! But I do like that it takes less time to cover the same distance!</p>
<p>I’m one who likes the elliptical. I find it gentler on my knees and I’ve given up most of the “impact” exercise like step exercises and even zumba.</p>
<p>I use the elliptical once a week and the treadmill twice a week. I figure the elliptical gives my hips a little break from all the pounding. My hips don’t hurt, but after the treadmill, I am “aware” of them.</p>
<p>On the treadmill, I can easily go ~2.2 miles in 30 minutes and, pushing it hard, I’ve gotten up to 2.4. On the elliptical, I make it to 3.0 miles in 30 minutes. It’s easier because, I guess, I’m not lifting my feet.</p>
<p>I wish I could go 3.0 miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill. I’m working toward that.</p>