<p>You had a 6 pack?? I am impressed (she says as she reaches for the popcorn sitting beside the computer chair…)</p>
<p>You are only 50? I think I remember 50…</p>
<p>Jym, yes, but that’s because the weight fell off my tummy and landed on my hips, thighs, calves and ankles! Too bad I didn’t appreciate it more when I had it.</p>
<p>jym, here are the clamshells:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/5-under-appreciated-exercises-you-should-be-doing/slide/2”>http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/5-under-appreciated-exercises-you-should-be-doing/slide/2</a></p>
<p>Thanks, BB. Do I have to get one of those band things? I found a plank clamshell exercise. Will that do? <a href=“Side plank with Clamshell - YouTube”>Side plank with Clamshell - YouTube;
<p>I did go to the gym again yesterday and my lower back is complaining vociferously. The crunch things (to strengthen abs) and some other of those kind of movement hurt. I try do pull up with my arms more than with my back, but not sure I did it right.</p>
<p>LOL snowflake! I get ya! – my weight has always gone to my rear, hips, thighs and legs. But when I lose, i lose from my chest 
Life isnt fair.</p>
<p>I am still doing wimpy clamshells and a basic plank … No band on the clamshells and no half-plank-clamshell combo, so maybe it’s time to promote myself up a level or two. Great videos! Another reason not to just sit and watch. TV.</p>
<p>Jym,
Be really careful of your lower back when doing abs. That;s how I injured myself a few years ago and it is acting up again. It is really important to tighten your abs when you re doing planks or crunches and even when you are doing free weights and machines. That will help guard your lower back.
I am back from Ds graduation! Did eat too much of course but now it’s over and I’m ready to buckle down. Going to a cookout tomorrow but i will check in tomorrow night and let you know how I controlled myself!</p>
<p>Thanks, eptr. Just getting back from a large dinner. Might skip the scale tomorrow morning. </p>
<p>Hello all and happy Memorial Day weekend. I will run a 5.8 mile leg of a relay tomorrow, then a BBQ with my ski/running friends. On Monday I will see a local parade to honor our soldiers, who we can never thank enough for their sacrifices.</p>
<p>I will add more complicated exercises in after my shorter race/run on Tuesday. </p>
<p>Don’t think that I am some elite runner … Not at all. It’s just that it allows me to see my healthy friends, which is inspiring, plus I get to exercise with them. The finish times of these races is actually nice and slow, but I am still finishing usually in the 50% range in my age group. So, not the fastest for sure, but also not the slowest.</p>
<p>But, I will not be worrying too much about what I eat on Sunday post-run. Oink oink.</p>
<p>Best of luck on your 5.8 - that’s a hefty run ! </p>
<p>Hours of gardening plus a couple of 3 mile runs is giving me permission to enjoy a couple of cookouts this weekend - ill still watch portions and load up on veggies and protein but will also allow some dessert!</p>
<p>I’m crawling back. I have not been eating super bad but just too many carbs. Bread and tortillas. I did pretty well on my vacation and I am still hovering at around the same weight but I feel it in the waistline of my pants. Still 10 lbs up from my weight loss midway through this thread but still 20 lbs down from where I was when we started Weight loss for dummies. I feel okay in a swimsuit but I know I can do better.
So for today I had a healthy 150 calorie breakfast. Oatmeal with no sweetener added. Did some core strengthening exercises. I noticed a huge step back in my abilities. I was only able to do 10 counter push-ups when I had been up to 25. Plank was a sorry 25 seconds. I will attempt to get a walk in. I have book club tonight. Will skip the wine and try for moderation in my eating.
I have a trip to San Fran this weekend. The good is our hotel is a 20 minute uphill walk to my D’s apartment so I will walk off a lot of calories. We walk a lot when we visit. It is an incentive to get in shape since I hate huffing and puffing up the hills. The bad is we will eat out 4 nights in a row.</p>
<p>I’ve started bringing fancy fizzy water to parties, and it’s very popular! Sometimes I barely get a glass! My goal is usually to drink one glass of water for every glass of wine. Keeps me sober and definitely helps with the calories as well. It’s great that you’ve kept off 10 pounds. Good luck on the exercise, it’s really my least favorite part of my lifestyle change. I often do my kettleballs and push ups right before bedtime because I realize I’ve done nothing active all day.</p>
<p>Put my fitbit on for the first time in months.
I also have put a pair of running shoes and socks in my car. That way if I have time I can get a walk in midday.
Mathmom- fizzy water is a good idea. I don’t normally drink much. Especially if I am driving. </p>
<p>I’m an IPA drinker and when I’m at a party I will sometimes drink my beer, then refill the bottle with water. That helps with the sort of mindless drinking that can happen when I’m having a good time and not paying attention to my intake.</p>
<p>My week is off to a pretty dismal start. Not sleeping so running on fumes which always has me reaching for carbs. (At least I put some hummus on my La Brea bread. The first two slices, anyway.) I’ve been having knee problems and thought I would try the elliptical at the gym today but the thought of trying to figure out a new piece of equipment was more than I could handle. Ran hard a couple miles on the treadmill with no pain. That felt really good; I decided not to push it. Now I need to pay my parents’ bills which is always anxiety provoking as I watch the balances go down, knowing that the money may not last long enough for them. (Quite likely, actually but I try not to dwell on that.) Anxiety is another carb-fest trigger.</p>
<p>My son graduates next week on my birthday and I’d like to get back down to my most recent low for that.If I could get some sleep it might be doable.</p>
<p>Considering how carelessly I behaved over Memorial Day weekend, I’m surprised I only went up 0.7 lbs. Like you, mom60, I’m considerably down from my start and somewhat up from my low. I am trying for the WiiFit most mornings but my formerly broken ankle still does have some pain with overuse. Mathmom, I keep thinking about weights and someday I’ll really try it!</p>
<p>Of more concern is that my blood sugar is running a bit high on morning fasting. I hadn’t really been checking (doctor said I didn’t need to) but they did check before my ankle surgery and it was higher than I liked so I got fresh strips for my monitor and started checking. I’ll have to keep a closer eye on my carbs and rethink that late night snack content. If only I could regain all my WLFD lifetime habits…some have stuck, some are iffy. :"> </p>
<p>Welcome back from our long weekend! I ran well and I also ate well. The after-race gathering always has tons of healthy food, and I loved all of it, as the scale this morning shouted. </p>
<p>Today I am prepping for a 50-year-old milestone, a colonoscopy. I am already counting the hours until I eat real food again tomorrow. </p>
<p>Well, that will help you on the scale, at least in the short term. :)</p>
<p>Successful lunch and a walk. </p>
<p>Ha ha … I will weigh myself tomorrow and report back. </p>
<p>Reporting back … All went well and they don’t need to see me again for 10 years. The scale said I was 3 lbs down, but the nurse told me I would see that change right back to where I was very soon.</p>
<p>Now, back to healthy eating and moving!</p>
<p>Well, enjoy it while you can. </p>