An update....

[lithera]

So, I'm hoping to keep more specific fitness related updates here going forward. If there are enough of you that don't give a damn about it, I might be able to be convinced to put them in some sort of special grouping but that isn't really the way I blog. Most of the time I just dump information on a page and then realize that I'd talked about seventeen different things when I'd really only intended to talk about one.

Anyway - Working out.

Yesterday I went to the gym with Kris. They couldn't find the corporate program information so, they were nice enough to allow me to workout for free. They're supposed to call me back and work out costs some time today. I got on the eliptical machine and decided to do 30 minutes. I mean, I used to do like 45 to an hour on those things. I should still be able to do 30, right?

Well, yes. I can. But at the same time, I thought I was going to die the last 5 minutes. That's probably what I should feel like but it isn't comfortable and it isn't fun and I really sort of wanted to punch someone. Which, of course, is nicely channeled into finishing the last five minutes on the machine. It still isn't anything I would consider fun.

I wasn't sore when I went home, though I did notice a stiffness in my muscles. I slept really well. Perhaps a little too well, to be honest. I almost slept through turning off both of my alarms. I noticed soreness in my back and in my legs when I climb stairs, though not so much when I'm walking. I like the sleeping better. I don't so much like the coma-like state that seems to put me in.

I need to remember why it is I do this. I need reenforcement because I know myself. I get so fed up with putting so much energy and pain into something and I can't see the results. /Other people can/ but that doesn't help me. Other people tell me I look like I've lost weight when I've gained. I need something more than the number on the scale, too. It is a hard thing. Over the years that number on the scale has been terrifying and caused me to stay up nights and I've had to learn how to cope with it.... No, I need something else because it will take awhile for that number to mean anything. And with that number, I will almost always feel (especially in the beginning) that whatever decrease is there, it isn't enough. I might try pictures.

Maybe one a month.

Maybe every other month.

God, I hate photos, too.

I'll think of something but there needs to be something to keep me moving forward. The ideas that I'm making myself healthier and losing weight... After awhile you stop being able to make those ideas /mean/ anything when you've been on and off diets and talking to dieticians and nutritionists and trying to lose weight since before high school.

I've never been thin. I don't even know if that's possible. I can handle less fat. I know I can do that. A least a little bit.

Comments

[apestyle.livejournal.com]

tape measure, and measuring body parts that you want to reduce is probably a better way to measure results.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. I'll remember that one.

How often do you think is most effective and least disheartening?

[apestyle.livejournal.com]

I'd probably do it every 2 weeks on a certain day. I recommend Tuesdays in the morning after your bathroom ritual.

Tuesdays are good because you've probably worked out on Monday.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'll be working on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays as it stands, though there is bowling on Mondays.

[crowbarbob.livejournal.com]

Focus on a goal other than the actual weight loss. Is there something you've wanted to treat yourself too? I.e. A trip to wherever or some cool new doodad? Well, you can get that if you stick to your exercise routine. You can even put a little pressure on yourself by doing a little chart and having a workout buddy initial it everytime you guys hit the gym. That way you're getting the reinforcement of something visual 'Hey, I hit the gym four times last week. The chart says it!', and someone else is aware of how you're doing. Some people don't dig the whole 'Being checked up on' thing but you should never underestimate the subtle power of peer pressure in these situations. The trick is this time it'd be working for you.

Anyway, back to the goal, after you've been doing the exercise/eating right thing for x number of days, go out and treat yourself to the doodad or thing you were shooting for.

As for the weight check, you can check it but it can be a little depressing sometimes. Some weeks you may lose a fair bit and every now and then you may not lose any or even gain a pound. Scales can be motivators but they can also be unmotivators too. Focus on the other goal for your doodad or whatever and the weight thing will take care of itself as a sort of fringe benefit. :)

[lithera.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea.

I should think about this a little more.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

I, for one, love reading people's fitness posts, so if you do decide on a filter someday I'd like to be on it.

I don't so much like the coma-like state that seems to put me in.

I wonder if the coma-likeness of it will reduce a little after you've become a little more accustomed to working out. I love the heavy sleep I get from working out, but then, I also don't have an alarm clock to heed. o.o :)

[arian1.livejournal.com]

It's all about just forcing yourself to stick with it. Portion control, exercise, not eating late at night, all helpful (These are the things I do when I'm training) and we'll all be here to help kick you in the butt. :)

[pullthestars.livejournal.com]

Thank you for not punching me. :)

I try to weigh myself in the morning, when I am fresh out of the shower and nekkid.

And small goals. Baby steps. Better to say "I am going to lose 10 lbs." 10 times, rather than, "I am going to lose 100 lbs" and just get overwhelmed.

[ladymeag.livejournal.com]

You might also want to make it once-a-month, so that ladies' issues don't get in the way of measurements. Pick a week of the month so that you have something that will be constant.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Nah. It wouldn't have been you. Maybe some of those really fit muscley guys who were complaining about something or other.

Yeah. That's a good idea.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I'm really bad at the eating part of this equation. Work makes it hard for me to consistently have lunch at a reasonable time and when I get home, the LAST thing I want to do is cook. That and you add in the fact that I completely jacked up my metabolism when I was younger, it makes it very hard for me to lose weight.

I have no idea how to fix the food part of this.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

I hope so. It was really hard for me to get going. I got into work later than I'd like to have today.

[arian1.livejournal.com]

I'll try to write down some EASY things to make and such when I have a moment. Busy day :P

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Another good point. There is a lot of fluctuation in there.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[ladymeag.livejournal.com]

I remember when I was competitively boxing and doing measurements every two weeks with the guys and I had something like a three or four inch difference in my hip measurement - I was heartbroken. One of the boys had to point it out to me. After that? The coach and I set me up on a once-a-month schedule.

[eggies-red-dres.livejournal.com]

I worked out at the beginning of October four or five days during the week until about March. The first two weeks, 20 minutes on the treadmill was an accomplishment. My legs would get twitchy, and feel sore the next day. I felt like I was doing my daily routine through wet concrete and slept like the dead 10 hours a night. That was the lamest part about working out: those first two weeks.

The first tool that got me through was heart rate. Beats per minute was a concrete number, and the higher the peak the better, then the average over my workout. Both of those I could get from the machines at my gym. I kept a paper track of the high and the average per minute for those first two weeks.

That was one hell of a motivational tool. The number would climb unless I had an asthma attack. At this point, I would purchass a heart rate monitor because it was effective way to track my literal progress.

I started working out again this week, back on the five day routine. I have other tools, but that one helped me when I was comparatively weak and before the 'working out energy burst' kicked in.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*nods*

That's a good piece of information or four there.

Thanks, Eggie.

[eggies-red-dres.livejournal.com]

I hope I didn't scare you off! It was getting a little leggy in the lenght, so I cut out before I told you about the energy burst after that two week climb!

It gets better! My every days are much much better. I got depressed when I stopped.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Not at all.

Thank you.

[eggies-red-dres.livejournal.com]

I'm glad, and your welcome. Go Kat Go!

[elscoobysnacko.livejournal.com]

Could always make quick snappy things the day before like Rachel Ray and Getta do or at least they say the have on their shows. Just remember variety and crap the other key word is escaping me right now. It's all about not eating the same crap during the day and every day. Say you go and eat a chicken burger for lunch, then obviously don't have chicken for dinner. It's als about not having the same colors when it comes to fruits and veggies. Always remember to try and take it slow it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register when you are full.

[elscoobysnacko.livejournal.com]

I need to work out as well, only if to get in shape. Having a crazy baby to chase around and to go on walks with and mentallly calling your self stupid for not bringing a water bottle when you are worn out but they and your sig. other are not makes one go argh.

I dont know how you and i turned out so diferently in the weight part of things. Also a good thing to do is to be around skiner people, suposidly it's the whole if you hang with slim people then you will either want t be slim too or at least slimmer. while the opposite is for hanging around heavey set people.

[dr4b]

I don't know -- I'll tell you, I went to a gym for like 2 years in Seattle and I actually never really lost any weight at all.

But what I did notice is that I COULD improve at the things I was doing. At first I could only lift N pounds -- by the end of a year or two of weightlifting I had increased every part of my workout weights by a few steps. At first I couldn't swim for 15 minutes even without feeling exhausted, and I got that up to over 30-40 minutes by the end. I couldn't serve overhand at volleyball at first, and after 2 years of weight training and working with the volleyball group, I had a decent serve.

I couldn't tell any differences from day to day in particular to be honest, and as I said I never lost ANY weight, but I could see things little by little with goals, increasing workouts. And the other thing is that... I don't know how to explain it, but after a while I actually enjoyed going to the gym, even by myself. It felt like "Well, at least I'm not just sitting at home on my butt". It helped when they got personal TVs for each treadmill so I could watch Mariners games while walking for an hour or two as well :)

Then I moved to Japan and lost 20 pounds without even doing anything special.

Go figure.

Can you work with a trainer to maybe help you set goals and note them and get reinforcement?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

It has to be diet and ... I don't know what else, really. I'm hoping to be working with a trainer and setting goals. It is hard to get reinforcement from someone I don't really know and who I'm essentially paying to tell me to do what I'm paying him to tell me to do.

You know?

[eggies-red-dres.livejournal.com]

Ha! That convoluted sounding logic is spot on.

So I hire this guy, and he tells me what? How to use the machines? That my next- day soreness will be so great? That I ate the wrong food last week? Or that using the pilates ball works for Daisy Fuentes? Heh.

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't want to pay that guy.

[candidgamera.livejournal.com]

My recent flirtation with exercise was inspired by a desire to NOT go on blood pressure medication. It's proven a fairly effective motivator. Then again, you may not have a tendency to such health problems.

If you can stick with it for a few weeks, though, you should start sleeping better and feeling more energetic, so that's nice.

[sepulchrave.livejournal.com]

Yes it's true! It took me more like a few months to get the good feeling from excercise but I hit a real low with my mood when I stop.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Well, here's hoping.

I give a damn

[seanb.livejournal.com]

I've really enjoyed having a metric that I can measure every day, setting goals and checking progress every week. With spreadsheets and charts!

Yeah, I was surprised and frightened when I stepped on a scale last week - the first time in a few years, and a good 10 pounds above what I believed. Scales really are brutally efficient self-loathing generators, and loathing is a craptastic motivational force.

Re: I give a damn

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Yes. Very much yes. I hate scales. I hate them. I've never come away from a scale feeling good about myself, even when I've lost weight. Loathing makes you want to engage in whatever self destructive behaviors you have. I am, obviously, not one of those people who says things like, 'I was so depressed I went out and walked ten miles.'

Re: I give a damn

[seanb.livejournal.com]

I have been at the "I was so depressed I ate an entire loaf of garlic bread" stage. Wheee.

For my "weight loss" spreadsheet and chart, I'm watching the "total pounds lost" from a starting point, not "current weight". It's too early to tell, but I'm hoping that the chart of small numbers trending up and to the right (and sometimes flatlining or taking a little dip, in all honesty) will be more inspiring than a chart full of three-digit numbers trending imperceptibly down.

Re: I give a damn

[lithera.livejournal.com]

That's not too bad of an idea. (Up and to the right. Heh.) And dips happen, you know? In fact they probably should if you're building muscle beneath in order to help hold your frame together correctly.