March Motivation

[HouseofWool]

Has anyone seen mine?

I am doing okay on the exercise front, but cannot seem to control what is going into my mouth. The weight seems to be fairly stable (at least I am not gaining) but it is frustrating me.

Tonight, I did the P90x yoga and it didn't totally kick my butt. I am sure my arms will be sore tomorrow, but I think I will be able to breathe without pain.

ME TOO Kris! I'm doing ok with the gym. I missed a few last week, but about 8 weeks ago, I just decided to FORCE myself to go. I simply decided that I will not miss a workout. I'll be honest, I take a pre-workout supplement that has made a HUGE differencel. It wakes me up, makes me alert and focused lol. I can't workout without it. So I have been going 4 times per week consistently and am seeing some results.... but you know what they say, 80% of getting into shape is diet. And I definitely need to work on that. I majorly fell off the wagon last week, I don't even know what happened. Just ate like total and complete crap. And I felt like it too! Why is it, that even if I know I will feel sick, I still eat junk because I can't beat the craving?

But it's ok. I think you need a cheat day every once in a while (for me, it was a cheat 4 days). But I'm back on the wagon... I just have to ensure that I'm getting enough protein otherwise my workouts are a big waste of time.

So Kris- what are your fitness goals? Yoga is tough! You said that it didn't kick your butt... why is that? Do you want it to?

So what can we do to ensure that we're eating right? I just bought a lot of veggies and chopped them all up. I find that preparation is key. It's so much easier to grab the prepped veggies to snack on. It also helps me not to have junky food around. I had a bag of hershey's kisses in my car, which is why that was my breakfast for a few days. Resistance was futile. Ugh. Got rid of those and I'm back to oatmeal, egg whites and fruit in the morning!

[HouseofWool]

The biggest reason the P90x yoga program was easier is that I have been running regularly, so my legs are much stronger than they were a year a go.

Overall, I just want to be healthier, to lose another 5 pounds or so and to be able to run a 5k without coming in dead last.

KK - what pre-workout supplement are you using? I'm working out like a madwoman (8 visit to gym in 6 days last week, by the end id today ill have 5 for this week), and I feel like the shape of my body is changing, but the # isn't going down.

[SoonerTexan]

I'm trying 2 a days this week. Not today, though...the last two days have me beat. I figure it is better to have a rest day than go overboard, though.

Running has opened up a whole new WORLD of joint issues for me! I'm freakin' 22...this shouldn't be an issue yet!

As far as eating goes, I'm strugging with figuring out how many calories I should eat. I did a bodygem analysis that shows I burn about 1700/day on my own, so somewhere around 1300-1500 calories/day should be good for me to lose weight. When I throw intense exercise in, though, I'm not sure what to do. Yesterday I was SO hungry...I ate close to 2000 calories. But my heart rate monitor showed I burned about 900 calories (this is a conservative estimate--I cut 20% off what the heart rate monitor comes up with to get a final number). It's hard to know if I ate too much or too little then. I probably could have skipped the Framboise

[HouseofWool]

Marissa - I find that if I don't eat the calories I expended during exercise, I rebound and eat double that the next day. To my thinking, you need to be eating less than your basal consumption. So, 1400-ish plus your exercise calories should be good for weight loss. Don't forget to recalculate your basal consumption occasionally. As you increase muscle mass and lose weight, it will change.

KK - what pre-workout supplement are you using? I'm working out like a madwoman (8 visit to gym in 6 days last week, by the end id today ill have 5 for this week), and I feel like the shape of my body is changing, but the # isn't going down.

I use a supplement called Quake.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sv/quake.html

My SO had some, so I tried it when we worked out together. I had a pretty good workout but thought, well I don't think it makes a huge difference and I don't want to take any unnecessary supplement. So I did not take Quake before the next workout, and let me tell you, I was worthless in the gym. I didn't want to be there and just dilly dallied. So the next time, I took Quake again and realized that it really does make a huge difference. I'm even ADDING reps, and more exercises during my gym session because I have so much energy and love the way the muscles are feeling.

* I was just informed by my SO that Scivation is no longer producing Quake. They have replaced it with something called Novem. Novem must be really good to replace Quake. I'll have to try it... Another option is NO-Explode.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/novem.html

I also use X-tend during my workout... which was also a strange experience, because the first time I used X-tend I more than doubled the lunges I was normally able to do, I went through my entire leg workout no problem, and I was lifting heavier and my muscles didn't get as fatigued. Watermelon is delicious.
http://www.scivation.com/products/xtend.htm

And by the way.... which # are you talking about? Body fat, or your weight? Because if your weight isn't going down, you must be building some muscle, missy!

weight. I've lost about 60 lbs, and have about another 35 I want to drop. I am absolutely building muscle, and I love it (I do pilates reformer 2x/week, and I love the pilates muscles. I feel so cool.)

I've been adamant thus far about not actually dieting / counting calories and just making healthier choices, and clearly that has worked to this point. I know that the weight would have come off faster had I been on a true diet, but I also believe I would have thrown in the towel b/c I'm simply not a deprivation kind of girl. If you tell me I can't have X, then I wan 500 X's and dammit, I'll likely get them. However, this little plateau has prompted me to try calorie counting, as well as the multiple-tiny-meals through the day kind of thing. I've got to say, it's a PAIN to figure out calories, log it, etc. DH's cousin (also a physician) assures me that this will give my metabolism a boost, but egads! What a pain!

I'll have to look at those products. I'm doing doing extreme workouts by any means, and I want to be sure I'm not using a supplement intended to build bulk, etc. Thanks for the info!

[HouseofWool]

Jenn - don't forget that there is a burgeoning hoard of us on loseit.com. The calorie counter there is pretty easy to use.

ETA - they have an app for it too.

[houseelf]

I'm shaking things up and doing all sorts of cross training. For a base, I'm trying to run at least twice a week and do pilates at least once. I have rounded this out with new adventures like the gauntlet, spinning class, and zumba. BTW, how does one zumba without looking like a total idiot? In a measure of support, DH got me Carmen Electra's strip tease cardio workout DVD. Crack me up. I'm really not coordinate enough to pull that off.

I'm running a 15k in two weeks time, which could be heaven or hell. The hills in this town are ridiculous and I'm not familiar with this new course.

Good news, I'm *finally* back to prebaby weight and I think it is because of the cross training and cleaner eating.

[MDPhDWife]

Well I finally cleared off all the clothes & laundry baskets off the treadmill today & walked for 1/2 hour. I also dusted off my weights. I've been far too lazy for far too long & it's clearly evident in the mirror. So as pathetic as I feel for being drained by such a mini workout, I've got to remind myself that at least I'm getting back on track.

[HouseofWool]

Good for you Kelly! Pre-baby weight seems like such a milestone. I can't imagine running a 15k, but then again, I would be happy to complete a 5k.

Charlene, you will get there. When I started in January, I could run about a half a mile before wanting to die.

I just tried the Zumba Wii. I didn't love it, but I think it's b/c I'm quite possibly the least coordinated person on the planet.

[MarissaNicole]

Marissa I totally agree with Kris that when you excerise you need to make sure you're eating the calories you burned! Also watch what you're eating on days when you working, try and reach for more filling foods (I tend to reach for crap since I worked out).

Jenn - do you tend to eat the same things? Sometimes your body gets used to the same meals and if you mix it up a bit it throws your body off and you burn more calories. Are you also making sure you're eating enough protein with all that working out you're doing?

My training is going okay, but with all the calories I am burning running, I've totally thrown healthy eating out the window because I seem to be able to get away with it (and I am allowing myself to stress eat). I need to get my eating habits back under control before the training ends or I'm gonna be huge once I'm done!

Jenn - do you tend to eat the same things? Sometimes your body gets used to the same meals and if you mix it up a bit it throws your body off and you burn more calories. Are you also making sure you're eating enough protein with all that working out you're doing?

Yes and no ... I have the same breakfast every morning (high fiber english muffin w/organic peanut butter & coffee), but for lunch and dinner I do change it around quite a bit (I get bored easily). I think I do need to pay closer attention to protein intake.