<p>Lergnom- I like the AMT much better than the Cybex ARC. Like you said, it feels much more like running but with a slow stride. It’s sort of frustrating to not be able to get a good turnover. I also think it (the AMT) bothers my knees a little. I still do it, though.<br>
For regular ellipticals, I do NOT like most of the Precors. I feel like I’m going uphill or something. I like the LifeFitness (made by Brunswick-the bowling and boat people) machine. I can get a fast turnover and really get my heartrate up.</p>
<p>Congrats everyone! I have been slacking off this past week - some yardwork on the weekend, but only weights and planks during the week. My running buddy got his knee checked out a week ago, and it looks like he might need some surgical intervention to get it fixed. We are still looking into whether it is the better option…</p>
<p>Now with DD home for a short break, our caloric intake might go up (but we’ll try to eat healthy). The starving student wolfed down salad and salmon dinner last night and declared it the healthiest food she had in a month. I’m looking forward to feeding her good foods :)</p>
<p>OK. So, all the talk about bikes and gears made me want to get out on the old vintage Fuji 12-speed today instead of my usual walk. Nice little 5.5 mile route. Back roads. Pump up the tires. Check. Water bottle. Check. Heart monitor. Check. Off I go. </p>
<p>About halfway thru the ride, I realized that I left the brand new helmet that I had spent hours adjusting sitting in the garage! Now, I’m a helmet nazi. I wear a full-face racing helmet tooling around on a Harley. God, what an idiot! I guess I better strap the thing to the handlebars.</p>
<p>BTW, props to all of you bicyclists out there. It’s gonna take me more than a couple of rides to get in cycling shape! Saw a peak of 99% heart rate on one of the hills. At least I had the shifting part down pat. I just needed more gears!</p>
<p>So, in recognition of my deteriorating foot joints, I brought an old bike up to North Jersey, land of a zillion crazy drivers, got it fixed up at the local bike joint, and finally today went on my first post-I-can’t-walk-anymore bike ride today. Dodged crazy turners, parked car doors opening, dogwalkers with telescoping leashes clotheslining the pathways, runners coming to a dead halt right in front of me, double parked cars…bikers stopping to complain about dog walkers clotheslining them! A typical North Jersey bike ride. Gak! I had forgotten what it’s like up here (I only bike in rural Cape May these days, quite different).</p>
<p>But, I got my exercise, my feet don’t hurt, the day was beautiful, and, thankfully, I did remember the helmet.</p>
<p>HOpefully, I will get up the nerve to try this again real soon.</p>
<p>I’m fortunate. My bike riding is on country roads, up and down hills through the woods, with very little traffic. Can’t say that I really enjoyed it all that much yet, but it was a good workout.</p>
<p>As some of you know, I’m working at a great job in a terrible location (driving-wise). Tonight I made it to the gym by 7:40 PM. I started out on the treadmill for 11 minutes, then did my Thursday routine (legs, mainly). Then got back on the treadmill with tons of energy – sitting in the car for almost two hours is not pleasant – and rocked that thing! Listening to Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” while running intervals, alternating between 5.4 mph (never before!!) and 4.0 walking. I feel terrific!</p>
<p>Of course, it’s now an hour past my bedtime. Like I’m going to sleep soon? Yeah, right.</p>
<p>Sounds like a good way to stretch after the long commute. It’s always nice to see the natural pace of intervals (both the fast bits and the recovery bits) increase. I’m riding the exercise bike harder on intervals than I did before… enough so that I have to watch it or I end up with my tongue hanging out on the intervals.</p>
<p>No intervals on the bike ride today. My heart rate went high and stayed high, going even higher on the hills. It’s amazing to me how each different kind of exercise works different muscles and the body responds completely differently.</p>
<p>I agree idad! I really hit the wall today, first time ever! What a surprise after yesterday’s great day! My pace was so off and so slow that I really couldn’t push myself to get my miles in an hour. My HR was sky high too. What a difference a day makes. Guess I didn’t know I needed some recovery time??? Anyway, I did get my 100 miles in for the week! Yay! I was not going to give up even if I was exhausted and had to start the bike computer again! (and I lost another pound!)</p>
<p>Due to some lower back and hip issues I have not been able to keep up my exercise routine. It is amazing how fast you get out of the habit. The hip is somewhat better and I did walk a couple of times this week. I have been avoiding hills due to my hip but I have slowly started adding some back in. Not quite ready to add in the dreaded one I hate.
Had a physical last week. Since my last visit to her 14 months ago I have lost 15 lbs. Dr is very happy and based on her charts if I stay at my present weight she feels I am in good shape. I would still like to lose another 15 pounds. I have lost 21 lbs since this thread started. I definitely feel like this thread gave me the motivation to finally start working on improving my health.
I find I have no willpower if I dine out. I have to stick to eating at home. What I have been trying is to not eat out during the week. It helps. I know it slows down the weight loss but it is a lifestyle change I can live with.
My clothes are more comfortable and I don’t get out of breath walking up my driveway. It feels good.</p>
<p>adding- I have never been much of a sweet eater. I never saw the appeal of dark chocolate. Since starting this new eating regime I have tried dark chocolate. I don’t know why but suddenly I find it amazingly delicious. Had a bite of milk chocolate recently and felt sick. I have discovered that Whole Foods and one of our local markets have a great selection of dark chocolates. I find I have a couple of squares each afternoon.</p>
<p>Wow! Congrats mom60!!! Hooray! Way to get a good report from the dr.! Hope the hip and back feel better soon. I know how frustrating it is to have an injury. (I am writing this with ice on my knee! ;)) 21 pounds…what a celebration! And to be able to breathe better too!</p>
<p>After two weeks of not getting to the gym enough, and eating out I was worried about what the scale would show me. Only up one pound, well within the margin of error, so that was a relief.</p>
<p>I did the third day of my new iPod nazi workout (2 sets instead of 3). Felt good, strong on a couple of the exercises (one foot step and press) and ball squats with shoulder press. Stilll a little shaky with the plank on the stability ball. </p>
<p>Intervals to end the session are brutal – ten minutes of 10 seconds hard and 30 seconds recover. That gets my heart rate up to 90%. Interestingly, I’m breathing hard at that rate, but no longer panting – more or less sustainable. I did my fastest intervals on the last two, so that was good.</p>
<p>Today is my day off from the gym. Heading to the lake for the rest of the weekend. Will get a walk in there. Fit in to an old pair of jeans…felt good! :)</p>
<p>34 miles in the Tennessee hills on the bike with H today. It got really hard towards the end (well, starting in the middle…) It got hot, too. I was really ready to get home. Some lovely roads, but I do NOT like when cars (mainly large pick up trucks around here) go by me. They were all considerate and swung wide, but it makes me nervous. We also saw a lot of roadkill. I had a max speed of 31 mph and a low speed of slower than I can run (some of the steeper climbs). Ave 13.4 which I though was pretty pathetic, but the climbs really slow me down. I can handle them fine, but I’m slow.</p>
We are still looking into whether it is the better option…</p>