<p>While working with my trainer today, I started getting really painful cramping in my inner thigh area. Trainer said she’d never heard of anyone getting cramps there??? I had to stop what I was doing and even then it didn’t quit. We did upper body work and by the end of the session, I felt fine. </p>
<p>Can’t figure out what caused it. I drink lots and lots of water. I’ve been really sore after my workouts this last month; I think it’s because I’m working longer and harder. I have been combining spin class with pilates or kettle bells with an hour on the elliptical machine (doing intervals where I get my heart rate up to the max). I’m trying to do more stretching when I finish. I’m starting to feel like an old person with all these aches and pains–never had them when I wasn’t exercising. Despite the pains, I feel so much better being in good shape.</p>
<p>I love my fleece gaiter. I don’t like the constricted feeling of a balaclava. Unless it is under 10 degrees and windy, I wear my loose tights, a zipped up microfiber shirt, a fleece jacket, a knit hat, gloves, and my gaiter. Some mornings it has been so cold this winter that my feet felt like they were going to freeze. </p>
<p>The weather has been capricious lately here in Amish land. Early in the morning it is pretty calm and not too cold, but in the afternoon the wind picks up, the clouds roll in, and it feels so raw. </p>
<p>To those of you who are nearing your goals - stay with it! Those last pounds are tough and maintaining is tougher. My brother looks a lot like you, IDad (same yellow face & smile). About 5 years ago he lost a similar amount of weight and then gradually started to regain. He had eased up on exercising and had started to have a few more beers, which led to a few more snacks, etc., etc. Fortunately, he realized that he was at the tipping point and if he didn’t get back to the program, he could easily regain all that weight he had worked so hard to lose. In some ways, he says, it was easier because he KNEW it could be done. Now - I am not suggesting that could happen with you, IDad or anyone else, but I think it is so important to know that when you reach your goal there are less rewards. Maintaining weight isn’t as rewarding as losing. Seeing the numbers staying within a small range just doesn’t give you the same kick. I think you have to anticipate this and figure out how you are going to continue to motivate yourself. </p>
<p>People on this thread have done an incredible job of changing their wellness profile. You have added good years to your lives. You can move, enjoy all sorts of activities, & feel more alive. I am in awe of your accomplishments.</p>
<p>It sounds like you might not be taking your recovery days between very hard workouts seriously enough. It’s one thing to be sore after a workout, but if you are staying sore, then you probabaly have to ease up on the in-between days, especially if you are in a calorie deficit trying to lose weight.</p>
<p>workinprogress:</p>
<p>Yes, I already see that the motivation has to change once you’ve hit a major fat loss goal. I’ve been re-orienting my goals towards fitness gains. With the fat loss, I’ve finally got enough baseline fitness to really dive into the strength training, which in turn is providing some nice changes. I’m really lucky to have stumbled into some intereresting and clever workout programs.</p>
<p>I’ll explore my options come summer. I may break out the tent and do some camping/hiking.</p>
<p>Love that photo, idad! I think you could fit another one of you in those pants.</p>
<p>Thought you’d like to know that my H is now a convert to your ‘ipod nazi’ (can’t remember the actual name of the guy). Last night during our Valentine dinner, he regaled me with what a great workout it was. Now, he’s offering to put it on MY ipod! :)</p>
<p>That’s great! His name is Yuri Elkaim. I’m not too big on his vegan green smoothie diet stuff, but he has real knack for inviting newbies into the world of working out. The more I learn about this stuff, the more impressed I am with the structure of his 3-month intro program. He got me properly indoctrinated into some really important concepts: core stability, full body combo weight training, and interval cardio.</p>
<p>There is a lot of overlap between the later phases of his program and this New Rules of Lifting for Abs program I’m doing, especially in the plank and core progressions.</p>
<p>I suspect I’m not the only guy who connects with an iPod workout when a class or a personal trainer would be a chore.</p>
<p>The “luck” was stumbling into that very first workout program, that laid a solid foundation and sent me looking for more iterations of those basic concepts. For example, iPod nazi is a big proponent of interval training. That led to finding Mike Boyle’s stuff through Google searches that turned up his articles on using Airdyne bikes for interval training. Alwyn Cosgrove runs in the same circles with Boyle and several others in a research oriented approach to training that shares iPod nazi’s embrace of whole body strength training instead of working “body parts” (like “I’m going to work my biceps today, dude…”). They have their own niche separate from the typical commercial gyms and separate from the drink a gallon of milk a day and “bulk up” weightlifting crowd.</p>
<p>BTW, this workout yesterday kicked my butt. I’m still sore all over. Good sore, but I am definitely feeling it.</p>
<p>Tomorrow doesn’t look like a walk in the park, either. It adds chinups for the first time in one of my workouts. Plus the core is one arm plank while pulling a resistance band with the other hand and the same thing with side plank – rowing a resistance band while side planking. I’m guessing that will be really, really hard.</p>
<p>Tonight’s numbers: 5.2 miles/45 min/503 calories :)<br>
weight before the run: 125.2 lb; weight after the run: 123.8 lb. That’s a lot of sweat :eek:</p>
<p>The most amazing thing for me that I was able to maintain my speed of roughly 7 mph and comfortably chat with DH who was pedaling his bike next to me (which, I think, kept me going without getting bored).</p>
<p>IDad - ah so true, but luck didn’t get you off the couch and moving. That was your own determination and discipline even when that svelte image of you was seemingly unattainable. People often tell me I am so “lucky” to be slim. I am gracious and just say thanks, but the truth is, if they were to exercise with me each day and eat my diet they would be lucky too!</p>
<p>Hey Bunsen, here are my numbers: weight before braces: 122; weight since braces 119. I still really can’t chew. I have made a soup everyday and have pureed the life out of it. The skins on black beans do have a way of remaining intact and finding their way around the wires. Lovely look. Anyway - if you want to kick start a diet, braces or better yet, jaw surgery would be the way to go! LOL.</p>
<p>wnp, ouch. I hope you will get used to the braces and find a way to eat normal foods. In the 18 months with braces, I swear I <em>gained</em> 15 pounds! I’m a voracious eater, and not even a mouthful of prickly metal wires could prevent me from eating. I even learned to eat baby carrots without cutting them. My ortho was amazed that I never messed up my wires (I was amazed, too). I feel a bit sore from doing weights last night after my run. I asked DH if he is ready to try racewalking, but unfortunately, @&$%# filberts are in full bloom, and he is severely allergic to the pollen. Racewalking on the treadmill does not sound too attractive to him… I do not blame him. :)</p>
<p>I can’t racewalk on a treadmill. I just can’t get the right rhythm on the machine. Better to wait until he can walk outside. Poor guy! Allergies can be truly crippling.</p>
<p>^^Right, luck has less to do with it than not overeating. Every time I hear someone say, “I shouldn’t eat this” (cheesecake, brownie, etc.) and do anyway, I think to myself how do you think you got that way. 30 years of overeating adds up. </p>
<p>Not that some people don’t gain weight easier than others, of course. But still…</p>
<p>Had a terrible time at the gym today. My legs were so dead tired! Lowered the resistance to 7 and had to refocus mentally. Got my 70 minutes in, tried some (weak) intervals but really didn’t get my HR as high as I usually do. Bummer. Walked on the treadmill slowly to just keep myself moving. Tomorrow we are supposed to reach 50 degrees so I may try to walk outside. Although the snow is melting there are huge puddles everywhere so I will have to scout out a route before I go.</p>
<p>Yep. Calorie intake is probably 90% of the formula. It’s simply impossible to out-train a bad diet. To lose weight, you have to get into a calorie deficit (eating less than you are burning). There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I really believe that finding a workout progression has been key part of being able to change the way I look at eating. I would find it very difficult to stick to an “eat less” lifestyle without a corresponding “move more” component. It’s becoming more fit that is the motivational glue for me. I don’t think just starving myself in the ol’ (formerly) fat guy version of anorexia would work for me.</p>
<p>nMinn:</p>
<p>Such are the ebbs and flows of workout intensity, huh? You kicked it hard the other day and now your body says, “nothing in the tank”. I’m walking around with “glutes”/butt muscles that feel like an ol’ crippled guy from Monday’s workout. So, we’ll see what I have in the tank this afternoon.</p>
<p>Has anyone dealt with bursitis. Had the hips injected? Went back to the ortho Dr this morning. He is thrilled with the progress in my lower back and the pars fracture but my hip pain has gotten worse. As I increase my exercise the hip pain increases. Can’t sleep due to pain when I lay on my side. I am scheduled for an ultrasound and injection in 3 weeks.
Good news is both the Dr and PT feel like the back should be able to get even better.
Weight wise I feel like I am maintaining at a good weight. I would like to lose about 10 more lbs but if I stay where I am now with the level of movement I am doing I am okay with it.
Also weaned myself off of the anti-inflamatory meds. The Dr gave me some Flector patches to try instead. Anyone use them?</p>
<p>I think I was a little low on eating well yesterday…not enough protein or fat. Just had popcorn for dinner since H wasn’t home last night and I was being lazy. Will try to do better today as I am making tilapia and big salads for dinner.</p>