Anyone else trying to lose weight?

[Wyldewode]

a large wooden badger

This is what you wanted to give to the French, was it not? Or perhaps you were recollecting giving them a large wooden rabbit.

[variol son]

I'd like to loose about 5kg. Not a lot I know, but it's all gone on around my middle and I've had to go out and buy new pants twice in the past year. Which I can scarcely afford to do. I guess it's time to start walking to work again, and cutting down on the amount of beer I drink.

[emotional leper]

a large wooden badger

This is what you wanted to give to the French, was it not? Or perhaps you were recollecting giving them a large wooden rabbit.

Honestly, I'm trying to recollect why I want to give the French anything. They're just going to either a) claim they did it first and better, b) riot and burn it, c), turn their noses up at it, or, d) all three.

[Wyldewode]

I know what you mean about not affording new clothes, VariolSon! A good motivation to get back under control!

[emotional leper]

I'd like to loose about 5kg. Not a lot I know, but it's all gone on around my middle and I've had to go out and buy new pants twice in the past year. Which I can scarcely afford to do. I guess it's time to start walking to work again, and cutting down on the amount of beer I drink.

Drink Guinness. Surprisingly low in calories, compared to what you'd think.

[Wyldewode]

Guinsess--it's the drink that you chew.

[MsMary]

I also keep hearing about weight conditioning but I loathe going to the gym. We've got a gym at work; my apt. complex has a fitness center, too, and even offers free sessions with a personal trainer. I've had it in the back of my mind to call the guy for weeks, and still haven't done it. Clearly I've got a mental block about this.... Maybe one of you guys can give me a compelling reason to make the call?

Here are some reasons.

(There's 4 links there, for the record. )
*****

That WW core program sounds really interesting. My problem is that if I am told I can eat anything I want, even within a list, I have a tendency to not know when to stop. Using the nutrition tracker on SparkPeople makes me think about what I am putting in my mouth.

[Cail]

Guinsess--it's the drink that you chew.

There's a sandwich in every pint.

[storm]

Guinsess--it's the drink that you chew.

There's a sandwich in every pint.

...the Irish are nothing if not innovative.

[Cail]

Yet on an island....Surrounded by an Ocean....Full of fish.....They nearly starved to death during The Great Famine.

[emotional leper]

Yet on an island....Surrounded by an Ocean....Full of fish.....They nearly starved to death during The Great Famine.

Well, if they hadn't have had Whiskey, they would have conquered the Earth, so let's all just be glad.

[MsMary]

I'd like to loose about 5kg. Not a lot I know, but it's all gone on around my middle and I've had to go out and buy new pants twice in the past year. Which I can scarcely afford to do. I guess it's time to start walking to work again, and cutting down on the amount of beer I drink.

I am refusing to buy new clothes and trying to get back into the ones I have, just because. If I keep buying new, bigger clothes, than the new ones will make me feel like I am not so heavy, cause they fit. So when things start to get a little snug, I try to cut back. Hope that will work for me, cause I really don't want to buy new clothes (at least, not for the purpose of accommodating a weight gain!).

[aliantha]

I also keep hearing about weight conditioning but I loathe going to the gym. We've got a gym at work; my apt. complex has a fitness center, too, and even offers free sessions with a personal trainer. I've had it in the back of my mind to call the guy for weeks, and still haven't done it. Clearly I've got a mental block about this.... Maybe one of you guys can give me a compelling reason to make the call?

Here are some reasons.

(There's 4 links there, for the record. )
*****

That WW core program sounds really interesting. My problem is that if I am told I can eat anything I want, even within a list, I have a tendency to not know when to stop. Using the nutrition tracker on SparkPeople makes me think about what I am putting in my mouth.

Thanks for the links! If this stuff can't talk me into making the call....

I suspect my problem involves some irrational thinking, along the lines that women aren't supposed to have muscles at all. Which is totally stupid. So, hmm. More cogitation is clearly necessary here....

Yeah, the big danger with the core plan is portion-size creep. Plus you have to remember to *think* about your hunger level, every time you consider putting food in your mouth. Yesterday, the vending machine cupcakes won that battle. But that was yesterday -- today's a new day!

[emotional leper]

Guinsess--it's the drink that you chew.

There's a sandwich in every pint.

...the Irish are nothing if not innovative.

I don't get this, btw.

[MsMary]

I suspect my problem involves some irrational thinking, along the lines that women aren't supposed to have muscles at all. Which is totally stupid. So, hmm. More cogitation is clearly necessary here....

Well, yes, a lot of women have that thinking. But the articles point out why it's untrue. Muscle development looks different on women than on men, with the exception of women who go into body-building and are unattractively muscular (to me, anyway). Then again, I don't find extreme body-building that attractive on a man, either (think the types of bodies you would see in Muscle and Fitness magazine).

Yeah, the big danger with the core plan is portion-size creep. Plus you have to remember to *think* about your hunger level, every time you consider putting food in your mouth.

I suspect that's the point. They want you to think about your hunger, so that you're not eating just because you are bored, upset, or whatever other reason drives you to the refrigerator. Which could be a good thing, if it motivates you to change your eating habits.

Yesterday, the vending machine cupcakes won that battle. But that was yesterday -- today's a new day!

I like your positive attitude!!

[Cail]

Routine weight training looks very very good on women. I wish more women took advantage of it.

[aliantha]

I suspect my problem involves some irrational thinking, along the lines that women aren't supposed to have muscles at all. Which is totally stupid. So, hmm. More cogitation is clearly necessary here....

Well, yes, a lot of women have that thinking. But the articles point out why it's untrue. Muscle development looks different on women than on men, with the exception of women who go into body-building and are unattractively muscular (to me, anyway). Then again, I don't find extreme body-building that attractive on a man, either (think the types of bodies you would see in Muscle and Fitness magazine).

Right, but I'm not talking about extremist bodybuilding. I know women don't get that huge (and I too don't find muscle-bound bodies attractive, on men *or* women). What I realized, as I was trying to write that post, is that I was venturing into the Land of Shoulds & Oughts. Where I try never to go. But that's good, because now I see what's holding me back.

Yesterday, the vending machine cupcakes won that battle. But that was yesterday -- today's a new day!

I like your positive attitude!!

Thanks. Some days, it's all I've got.

Routine weight training looks very very good on women. I wish more women took advantage of it.

Now *that's* the kind of motivation I was talking about!

[MsMary]

Routine weight training looks very very good on women. I wish more women took advantage of it.

Now *that's* the kind of motivation I was talking about!

Yup. I agree. With both of you.

[DukkhaWaynhim]

NOTE: If you have never done a weights regimen before - when you start weights at the same time that you are revving up your cardio routine and also moderating your intake of calories, be aware that you may not register a loss of weight for up to 6 weeks OR MORE. You are likely putting on some lean muscle mass, which is more dense and heavier than an equal amount of fat. DO NOT DESPAIR, FOR THIS IS A VERY VERY GOOD THING. One of the biggest mistakes people make is by measuring their progress only by the number on the scale - your weight is not the number to watch. To measure your progress during this triple combo (cardio/weights/calorie-deficit), you need to look at how your clothes are starting to fit differently [in my case, the first thing I noticed was my wrists and ankles started looking trim and dead-sexy!:lol:].

Also, consider getting a scale that measures your weight and your body fat (not mega-accurate like your doctor, but precise enough to show changes that occur over time). Your weight may go slowly or even spike a little, but your body fat percentage will be going DOWN and your clothes will fit differently way before your weight goes down. This is normal, as you replace more and more fat with lean muscle -- and think "sleek and sexy", not bulging-ripped Ah-nuld "It's naht a two-mah".
That new lean muscle mass increases your base metabolism, and that really the gift that keeps on giving, Clark!

dw

[aliantha]

See, this is why I come here. You guys know *every*thing!

Yup, dw, I've already got one of those fancy scales. I've just been ignoring the BMI number (too depressing!). But you're saying that number will go down if I do the weights thing? Hmm, this is sounding better and better....