<p>PackMom - sounds like you are dangerously close to racewalking!!! Check out sites by Jeff Salvage or Dave McGovern for lots of info. </p>
<p>CC - I have also been sidelined with what doc believes is a stress fracture. I made the fateful mistake of adding too much speed work in and double workouts in a short period of time. </p>
<p>CS -It doesn’t matter whether you are running or racewalking, increasing the intensity, frequency, and duration at the same time is a recipe for an injury. I think you can increase intensity but make sure you do so gradually and back-off if you feel any unusual twinges.</p>
<p>Warning note: My injury came on suddenly and without warning after a couple of weeks of increasing my exercise intensity. Since I need to walk and use stairs quite a bit in my ordinary everyday life, my recovery is probably slowed down. I finally figured out that wearing Danskos full time seems to help pain and recovery as they hold my feet in a neutral position.</p>
<p>Well, all of you supportive people motivated me. I’m on day three of “back on track” and got up in the dark to go to the gym today before work. Horrible getting out of that bed but I do like the early morning for exercising as I am in a bit of a fog and can get into the zone more easily. Thanks for the support, as always!</p>
<p>OK…I just can’t read 105 pages of posts…wow. BUT I’m in. I joined the gym but I have to confess I haven’t yet mastered the art of GOING every day. But I have been at least three times a week. I do 30 minutes each on treadmill and bike…then the upper body machine work (can’t do the legs…bad knee).</p>
<p>I’m a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and use their eTools ($12.99 a month). I know there are free trackers, but I’m so used to this diet and that kind of tracking, it’s worth it for me to just do it on my IPad this way.</p>
<p>Oh…and FYI…I’ve lost the SAME 15 pounds at LEAST 10 times in my life. I have to lose this weight…or buy new clothes. My BMI is fine (go figure) and my weight is at the “high” end of what is OK for my height…but I’m more comfortable at the lower end of that range…so back ON the wagon for me!!</p>
<p>EPTR; But doesn’t getting up so early make you feel so smug and superior for the rest of the day, LOL? At least since you go to a gym, you don’t have to contend with the skunks in the field the way I do at <em>my</em> track! They keep me from going out before dawn. . . I have also seen turkeys, raccoons, and even chickens crossing the road! And I live in a VERY urban area! Well, chickens have become the <em>in</em> thing to raise, and I guess the other critters find a lot of urban garbage/litter/compost to eat, not to mention the grubs in the field.</p>
<p>Actually Packmom…I BOUGHT those smaller clothes a year ago when I lost the weight…but then I gained a lot of it back…time to lose again so I can fit into the clothes I bought at the GW Boutique:)</p>
<p>CC, You’re right. I do feel smug all day. I drop my morning workout into as many conversations as I can. The bonus for getting up today was this: I was driving to the gym and was being tailgated by a very impatient commuter. After a mile of this, I moved over into another lane. She flew past me and right through a red light. Unfortunately for her, there was a cop at that intersection and he pulled her over. It was awesome!</p>
<p>EPTR so nice to see you back in the groove. I’m getting there too, little more each day. Worked out last 6 days, yesterday a long brisk walk at the beach to break up the gym thing…realizing it’s always doable to get in 40 minutes of exercise. and yes it does feel so good once you got the workout in for the day.</p>
<p>Wow, EPTR, such heavy duty karma!!! I have my evil wishes that certain &*^% drivers will get their comeuppance, but I am never around to see it come to pass (if it ever does). Amazing what early exercise can bring!</p>
<p>Welcome, collegeshopping and thumper! It’s great to have more company on the thread. CS, congratulations on your major achievement to date!</p>
<p>I finally weighed myself this morning. Like many of you, I’ve been down in the dumps and not focusing on weight loss. I’ve been overwhelmed and somewhat depressed in general, coping with some things that cropped up. I have not been overeating, so I knew I hadn’t gained, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’ve lost 3.5 lbs in the last 5 weeks or so, bringing my total loss in the 3 months since the thread started to 10.5 lbs. This seems like a milestone to me. I remember reading that BCEagle in the other thread lost 100 lbs by losing 10 lbs 10 times.</p>
<p>I still haven’t managed regular exercise, but will have to work that in.</p>
<p>When I get in a slump I try to concentrate on just one meal at a time. In the past if I got off track I would continue the downward spiral. Now if I feel the urge to eat unhealthy I focus on getting through that period of time. If I want junk I try to eat a few squares of dark chocolate or get a skinny latte at Starbucks. 75% of the time by the time I reach the counter at starbucks I decide on the unsweetened iced tea. Usually this works. If it doesn’t and I indulge I let it go and move on to the next meal. I find it easier to get back on track when I can let the mistake go and focus on a healthy meal for the next meal.
With exercise I also no longer beat myself up. If it is the end of the day and I haven’t exercised I can still do some sit ups and planks. I also can do some counter push ups. I focus on what I can do versus what I have not done.
And while I would like to lose 10 more lbs I can remind myself that I already lost 30 and have kept those lbs off.</p>
<p>Hello to all the new members! 35 pounds sounds awesome to me. I emphasize with all the injuries - I have a tendency to injure toes just by bumping them against table and chair legs. And I already have enough trouble finding comfortable shoes with my bunions and a hammertoe.</p>
<p>But good news - back from my visit to DS and much to my surprise, I actually dropped half a pound since Friday. I really expected to go up since I indulged completely on my birthday dinner and at the Pancake House. But I also did a lot more walking - one day we went to both Point Lobos State Park and the Monterey Aquarium. I had more stamina and energy than the last few years. I also was in a hotel that required a very long walk from the elevator to the entrance; every little bit helps.</p>
<p>Flew home last night and my “dinner” consisted of three bags of Southwest peanuts, a leftover croissant from the breakfast buffet, one bag of Plane Crackers, and a Doubletree chocolate chip cookie. Oh - and a small Bailey’s on the rocks that the nice flight attendant gave me even though I only had an invalid drink coupon. Not exactly a proper Weight Loss diet!</p>
<p>Now I need to get back on schedule - still trying for an average of at least one pound a week. Anything more would require more change to routine than I’m prepared to handle right now, although if I stall for more than a week I may have to consider it. I’m still shopping in my closet for old clothes to fit; may have to hit the resale shops down the road but I have a lot of old hopeful clothes still!</p>