The getting back in shape thread

[Caffienated_Caramel]

Hmm I'm too scared to get on the scale. Because as soon as I see my actual weight I get depressed.

I estimate I'm 150 - 155 lbs and I'm 5'2''

I don't feel comfortable going to a gym (can't afford it either). So I try to resolve by walking up and down the stairs of my town home or leg curls while laying down

Unless I want to move stuff around daily to follow workout dvd's, I'm very cramped for space. (And majority of it is not even my stuff. Like 1/8 is)

Sadly for my eating habits, I graze. I trying force myself to drink water instead of the cans of 7up in the fridge. V8 if available. But I do have an extreme weakness for sugary stuff.

[Cazzi]

Hmm I'm too scared to get on the scale. .

Honestly.. don't be
I'm 5 feet 3 inches & as of today am 236 pounds (first time I have admitted that in public!).. I was heavier. And for a long time I had, & still do to some extent, very low self esteem.
First it took me a lot of courage to walk into a weight loss group, but eventually it happened... it took much longer for me to pluck up the courage to go to a mixed gym (I used to go to a ladies only one some years ago).. & I have a horror of communal changing rooms.

So what I did was call & arrange an appointment for a tour so I could see first hand what it was like & who went before I committed myself. All sorts of ages & shapes go there, and the changing rooms are a mix of communal with some private cubicles too
A lot of gyms have a free day pass scheme where you can try out the facilities & see if it's for you or not.

I also couldn't really afford it, but I could never get motivated at home I'm lucky that at the gym I chose, they have an off peak student rate which works out at a fair bit less than a UK pound a day.

Interestingly enough, our slimming group leader came out with some helpful suggestions for exercising at home today; using a can in each hand as makeshift dumbbells, or popping a can into either end of a long oven glove, hanging it over your ankle & doing leg lifts from a chair or even raising up & down on tippytoes while washing up. LOL one of my favourites is getting down on hands & knees to clean the floor. As a famous supermarket slogan is round here.. "every little helps"

lupo pazzesco Weigh in was yesterday. 4.4 lbs lost in one week!

Nice one
Last week I was over the moon having lost 2.5 pounds. Somehow, this week I managed to put 1.5 back on
Oh well, better luck next week!

I shall now hush before I send everyone to sleep with my waffle

[trailerparkmedic]

I don't feel comfortable going to a gym (can't afford it either).

I started going to the gym when I was 204 lbs, and I'm 5'6". I am not the heaviest person there--almost everyone is on the chubby side. Plus, I followed a super skinny girl on one of the weight machines today and I'm lifting twice as much as her, so that made me feel even better.

If you are interested in joining a gym (not that you have to!), try the YMCA. Around here their standard rate is pretty expensive but if you make less than $x/year (it's a fairly generous number, I fall under it) membership is half off. They have some additional programs if even that amount is too much.

Also, check out local colleges (especially community colleges) and see if they allow non-students to buy a membership. My old community college charges the general public $50-60/semester.

[Cat]

Weeee!! endorphins rule! (see my freak out thread)


500cals gone on the treadmill!! Tomorrow might be an easy day (going out) but today I done did good.

[Becks]

I estimate I'm 150 - 155 lbs and I'm 5'2''

I'm a half inch shorter than you and I wish I was down to 150-155 lbs.

[lupo pazzesco]

45 minutes on my Boot Camp DVD followed by 5 minutes of stretching. 50 minutes total, 659 calories burned, max heart rate 173

[BookstoreEscapee]

I've lost at least ten pounds in the last 2-3 weeks. I don't recommend the method, though. The flu and almost-pneumonia is so not worth it.

Edit: Who knows when I'll get back to the gym - just doing the dishes tonight made me tired.

[Cat]

Hiked this weekend, 1 hour on Sat (400cals) and 3 hours on Sun (about 950 cals....more difficult hike than on Sat)

Will use today as a more rest day, though with temps neat 60, I may be forced to have lunch walk.

[lupo pazzesco]

Got up early and did about 20 minutes of yoga, burned 212 calories. Will be working out more heavily later today, once work and school are complete.

[Cazzi]

Started my 4th week of going to the gym & today burned 255 cals Not bad considering I could barely get going when I started!

I've also switched 2 machines on my program... I've dropped the grappler in favour of a Schwinn windjammer because i was getting headaches.. I have to watch things that don't agree with my neck Today I changed from a bike saddle to a stationary bike that's more like a chair as i think the bike seat was causing other problems.. but time will tell

I'm going away for a long weekend to London from Thur to Tues, then on my return will be looking to add some resistance to the cardio

[Evil Queen]

Well, I may not be keeping up here but I am still going to the gym 5 days a week. I don't go Sunday because the gym is closed until Noon and on Saturdays I have SCA practice, which is fencing so I really don't need to work out on that day. So I give my muscles a break on those days.

I started using a couple machines that doesn't track calories burned, like the weights (8lbs on both arms for 100 reps each) and the thigh machine (inner and outter thigh at 30ish lbs each for 200 reps). Today I used this thing called a "Rotary Torso" machine. I didn't feel anything on my stomach but I did feel it in my back.

So today (not counting those) I burned over 600 calories.

This is a list of machine I work with daily: (in order)
Stationary Bike
Thigh Machine (setting 4 for inner, setting 5 for outter)
Weights, Arms (8lbs)
Doom Machine (effed up super elliptical thing, I've yet to find a picture so I can get the proper name)
Treadmill
Torso Machine

I expect to gain some weight this week since it's that time of the month so hopefully adding the extra machine in my regimen will help me from packing on too many extra pounds.

[Cazzi]

I've managed to gain half a pound this week, but not surprised as I celebrated by birthday at the weekend with choc & junk food, & am in the middle of a pain flare up so various bits of me are looking a bit swollen.... so I'm surprised I only gained the half pound

I've still been to the gym 3 days this week, but have listened to my joints & not tried to push myself or overdo it. No more workouts til next weds now as I'm off to stay with friends for a few days, but painkillers permitting should get a good bit of walking in & any other exercise I can think of

[Cat]

Been having a bit of a feasting week, though just a little over my cal budget...and still hit the gym 2x, so I haven't fallen outta the loop

Though I am debating tomorrow to hit the gym or get this cute bag I haven been eyeing.....oh dilemmas!

[Evil Queen]

Well, this week the PMS is really getting to me but I'm being a good girl, diligent, and being sure to hit the gym every day still.

Today was the same as yesterday. Except someone was using the Doom Machine (which I learned is called a "Summit Trainer") so I wasn't able to hit that puppy. Today I managed to burn 443 calories. Tomorrow I'll do better.

[Evil Queen]

More workouts done today.

580 calories burned today. Very tired.