K-Friends Fitness Thread

[Guest]

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[Sherri]

Hi everyone!

I'm starting this thread so that anyone who's in the same boat can join me... or if not... then just to fish for a tiny bit of support from my k-friends.

I'm embarking on a No-TV-Month for July with the purpose of spending more time working out, and de-stressing. My primary goal is to increase my energy level and stamina. I'm going camping at the end of July, and I really don't want to be huffing and puffing on the hiking trails holding my friends back.

While I am thankful that I'm thin... my desk job, combined with my non-active hobbies has resulted in me becoming woefully, embarrassingly un-fit.

So, my goal is to work out every evening this month alternating cardio and strength training.

What do I want from you? Well, please feel free to send me some encouraging PMs during this month... or join in on this thread with your own fitness stories, goals, encouragement, etc.

This might be a stretch- but I'm also looking to see if anyone would be interested in buddying up via email to encourage each other or share workout plans. Seriously, I know I will need someone to nag me! Lol.

This thread will also be a kind of journal for me and anyone else who wants to post here.

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Entry- Sherri: July 2:
Started a no-TV month with a goal of exercising every evening this month to kick start a hopefully lifelong fitness commitment.
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[Buchanan Family]

Sherri -

That's absolutely an amazing goal!  Getting away from TV and other sitting nonactive endeavors to workout is definitely a good thing.  I too love camping and hiking and have for the last almost two months been trying to get in better shape.

Depending on how much you are planning on doing, every day (even though you're alternating between cardio and strength training) may be too much or overtraining.  From my own personal experience, I've found that it's best to take about two days a week off from the gym (not necessarily contiguous days) for rest.  Either way, it's better to work up to more days than it is to get burnt out.

My current strategy is actually just going twice a week to work out with a personal trainer.  I also live in New York City so I have the added benefit of being able to walk everwhere such as the dog park and grocery store and I live on the fourth floor of a walk-up building.  For me, I find that the trainer pushes me harder than I could push myself.  The workouts have great variety and it's incredibly fast paced because someone else is quickly adjusting the machines and handing you weights and other necessary equipment.

I think my workouts would be considered circuit training.  We do core/strength training interspersed with short periods of cardio type activity to keep up my heart rate and also add things like squats and lunges.  There can also be interesting combinations such as with the leg curl machine adding dumbells in your hands to do chest press at the same time.

Whatever you decide to do, I just want to wish you the best of luck.  We all have our small setbacks but the most important thing is to realize that it's just small and keep right on going.  If you don't see results right away (typically it takes a few weeks to start really noticing anything) just keep doing the same thing and wait - it WILL happen!

Becky

[B. Right]

Sherri:

 My thoughts stretches out to you during these times of hardship. You have my undivided and wholehearted sympathy in all your pain and struggle.

B. R. S.

[Sherri]

Thanks Becky! I am planning on taking it easy and doing my workouts from home for now. Walking more is also a good point. I think I'll start parking in the farthest spot in the lot at work too. Thanks for the encouragement!

Thanks - Mr. Right. *laughs* yes, I'm sure it will be a pain and a struggle! 

[Henry]

Great Idea, I'm already overly studly, so I won't be able to participate much!      but, if I may suggest the following site to help you all out  - gave me the help needed to loose @ 30 lbs in 3.5 months. 

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/signup.html

or follow my progress.....

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=hdpittman

which since I'm already (again)  overly studly - I'm not updating it much, but it did teach me how to monitor my food after about a month of entering it.  Now - wow, I mean, this being overly studly is the bomb!!! 

no more donuts!

oh...and evening workouts.......  well, if it's all you can do  ----- us overly studly people do our workouts in the a.m.  Mine is getting out of bed!   

[B. Right]

Sherri:

But having such a short time to prepare for the hiking trip, I think I would suggest that you leave the strenght training for until you get home  (unless you're planning on rockclimbing). Go all cardio. Eat veggie, or mainly vegetarian, but with fish or skinless chicken, for protein. And go on trails, in the hills, or in the nature. You get the same training running (or dragging yourself ; ) up a hillside, as on the treadmill. But it is cheaper. And the singing birds are easier to scare off then a personal trainer, pumped up on anabolic stereoids. Just soften yourself up first with some thai chi or yoga.

It is OK to have ambitions. But if you're not a frequent guest in a dojo or a trainingstudio, then have a run. Then a realitycheck. Then have a 500 mg paracetamol to enable your joints to move the following day. Then have another run. - A fast walk uphill is considered a run. (You're among friends here; ) In a short month, your bloodpump can benefit from cardio-training. If you move outdoors, in the terrain, your hips soon will start dancing, and you'll be ready to go on a hike. Lifting iron will do nothing for you. Not when you focus on the trip. Then you waist time. Here it is called "panic training". Just try and avoid starting a fight with them there grizzlies, and you'll be fine.

B. R. S.

Edit: Trail (track) in the mountain, not trials in the mountains. (Unless you're a really bad sport)

[Dottie b]

us overly studly people do our workouts in the a.m.  Mine is getting out of bed!   

Mine is petting the cat before I get out of bed.

Dottie B

[Leslie]

For anyone interested in a fun way to lose weight: ZUMBA....exercises done to a Latin beat

My sisters discovered a class at the Y and have been going 4 or 5 times a week....in six months, my younger sister lost 40 pounds (18 kgs)  out of 160 and the youngest sister 100 lbs (45 kgs) out of over 300! They are eating better, which I'm sure helped, but it is a great workout...I'm still a newbie and haven't seen any immediate results, but it is a blast!  And my younger sister actually has muscles for the first time in her adult life 

[B. Right]

For
  inspirational
      purposes
            only:

 

       

[A Nonny Mouse]

Oh my!