First I had a stomach virus, so only did the program 2 times last week. Then over the weekend when I was going to try to catch up, I had a cold (2 days only....weird....maybe the Zicam really worked.) Then 2 days ago I twisted my ankle.
The diet portion or the plan has flown out the window.
I did make it back to the gym yesterday but didn't follow the plan and did an upper body workout only (kept it heavy) and only did 12 minutes on the elliptical cause I felt my ankle.
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REFOCUS REFOCUS REFOCUS
I thought maybe I'd follow WeightWatchers again for a few weeks to get eating back under control, but when I pulled out my info I just realized there isn't enough protein in that plan, and it is hard to eat enough on that.
I'm so sick of protein.
But I feel my muscles under the layer of "protection." LOL. My muscles have grown, without a doubt.
So why is it that I feel results, I see results, but I still lose track?
Yes, I'm looking for some support, a few kicks in the butt. I'm tired of this darn stage 1 (I'm at the point where I need to move up to 3 sets per exercise.) I really dislike some of the exercises and want to cut them out. I don't like pushups, they hurt my wrist, and same with those darn jackknife things. I think I need to accept my limitations and just do something else. I did db incline presses yesterday and it was such a nice change.
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Since I did upper body yesterday, should I maybe just do lower body today, and then get back on track in 2 days?
Accept that I took a break, and move on?
And yes, I'm opening up Fitday right now and I'm going to track (ugh.)
I want to encourage you to stick with the push-ups. They do more than just work your chest muscles like a DB bench press. They are a whole body movement with a big emphasis on core control. They are healthy for your shoulders and set you up to tackle the front squat with push press that's coming in Stage 2.
Yes!
See, you are making progress on the program, so why ditch it? I am not one to talk, because I have what I refer to as "workout ADD". I read a book, start a program and then ditch it before I can even see any results.
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I think I need to accept my limitations and just do something else.
I know you said you had a sprained ankle, is this the limitations you are talking about?
Of course I am going to suggest that you stick with this program. I think you need to give it longer, so you can see even more results. (Just trying to give you that kick in the pants, you asked for. Probably not doing a very good job, though!)
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
The limitation is nerve damage in my left wrist. It causes lots of problems when lifting. I have recently bought hook/grips and was able to increase by 15 lbs in my seated rows (from 70 to 85 lbs.) I physically can't hold with my left hand over a certain weight (I'm only holding with 2 fingers.) And yes, I whine about it a lot. Plus my wrist doesn't bend properly so things like pushups hurt. I know I just need to suck it up and do my best.
I'm reading through the book again. I just redid my calculations and the 1500 - 1800 calories is right for my weight and age. And I know I can drop weight at 1800. When I was tracking consistently when we first started I could see the weight dropping.
I don't want to take pictures, I know I've gained. I keep telling myself this is about the changes that occur in 6 month, and realistically, if I only drop 10 lbs in that time (plus gain some muscle) that would be fantastic.
Had my egg and eggwhites for breakfast, soymilk and my fitness bread. I should probably hit the gym before I'm hungry again.
I'm just one of those that doesn't focus well, doesn't like lists, and hates to be told what to do. You'd think at my age I'd stop rebelling.
Oh and my plan is this...I'll pretend I didn't do any weights yesterday and just get back on track. I don't think 2 days of weights in a row will hurt me once in my life.
It really is about what you want. All the posts in the world aren't going to change your decision...it will be yourself that takes you to the weight room, not any of us.
So, what do you want? Are the sacrifices (exploring why your eating is so hard to control) worth the benefit physically (both your overall health and what you see in the mirror) and mentally? These are only choices and answers you can give.
If you choose to really look at the emotional side, may clarity and peace cover you while you explore.
Ok, so you haven't done everything perfectly this month. So what? Anybody who has please raise your hand....I didn't think so.
This is a long haul and it's tough especially for people of our "certain age". You really have to take the long view on this whole thing because you'll be doing it (in one form or another) for the rest of your life.
You need to be focusing on the positive, especially right now when you've been sick and injured. Nothing will throw you into the shits like sickness and injury. I suggest that you put at least three positive things you do into your journal every day. You have to see it, in black and white, and then feel it in your being and know that you are on the right track, even if you take a few detours.
Hang in there. You made a committment to this program and it can work only if you stick with it. Don't rewrite it. Do what you can each day even if it's not perfect. Eventually you'll see progress.
__________________ The Evolution of a Dream:
Dream is implanted into brain.
Dreamer becomes thrilled.
Dreamer becomes terrified.
If no action is taken, terrifying thoughts grow into flesh-eating monsters. Dream is considered unrealistic.
If action is taken, terrifying thoughts are revealed to be paper tigers. Confidence soars, miracles unfold and dreamer begins to saunter.
Either way, nothing remains the same.
Also be willing to look at why you might be afraid to make the changes (no matter how silly it may sound).
For a long time I was really afraid that somehow I would change into a less nice person if I got healthy. It wasn't until I started talking with Bob about it that I was able to let it go.
Interestingly enough, when I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, I almost picked up a book called the Writers Diet by Julie Cameron (she wrote The Artist's Way). The book is a series of exercises that help you explore different aspects of what may be holding you back from losing weight. Since I'm one that seems to do well when I write things down and explore them, I might still go and get the book
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Although I have for the most part stayed with my plan for the last month, there have definitely been times when I'm not "feeling it". I too am sick of eating multiple cans of tuna per day to get my protein up and having my body feel like someone beat the crap out of me a lot of days.
I think the thing that gets me through is that when I am in the gym lifting, I really enjoy that. I am elated every time I can do something that I once thought I would never be able to. Do you have a moment like that when you just felt like you were on top of the world that you can focus on when things get tough?
If you are feeling too structured in your food and exercise life can you let up on self-discipline a little in some other area? Can you buy yourself a non-food treat, sleep in a little later one day, or take a day off work to do something you've been wanting to do?
If you hate tracking your diet, can you try TNT? I know you said you are sick of protein, but I bet it would feel pretty freeing to not count everything you are eating.
Was going to write more but I've been called to a meeting.
OK, you said you were looking for a few kicks in the butt! And, like Julie said at the beginning of this challenge -- no coddling!
So, with that being said, how badly do you want this? I truly believe that you must want something badly enough to want to put forth the effort to change. That may mean going outside of your comfort zone or challenging yourself in ways you've never done before. BUT, YOU need to want this for yourself.
Anything really worth achieving isn't going to be EASY! Those exercises we hate? Well, that's probably because they are REALLY good for us! I despise BSS's, but I know that they are a necessary evil and I suck it up. Yep, it's hard, but this is a challenge, and it won't stop at the end of our little six months. This is a lifetime of change and challenge, and it's up to you to put your plan into action and make it work for you.
Something simple to try, maybe you have already done it - reread the book again. I find for me that it helps remind me why I want to do this and for me that's good motivation. I also usually pick up something I've missed or forgotten. I'm getting kind of tired of stage 1 myself, so looking ahead to stage 2 and reading about those exercises can be another motivation.
Annette--I also have issues with one of my wrists. Mine was broken in a car accident, and I can't flex it backward to put it flat on the floor. The nerves are also very sensitive to touch and pressure. What I have done is this: I do my pushups on a mat, and I put my hands at the very edge so that my fingers are over the edge and I'm resting my weight on my thenar emminences. Try to work around your body's little peculiarities, I'm sure there's an answer.
I lose motivation real fast when I'm sick. So, I'd cut myself some mental slack.
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Accept that I took a break, and move on?
That or don't accept it and take a few more steps backwards. You choose!
Where do you want to be six months from now? How are you going to get there? Do you truly believe you can get there? Or are you just hoping you can? I have perfectionist tendencies and find I can't do anything I don't fully believe I can be successful at.
What are your motivations? Why are you doing this? Is this something you are doing for you or for someone else?
"Brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop people who don’t want it badly enough. They're there to keep the other people out.” -Randy Pausch
Thank you everyone for your kind words and gentle kicks.
I had been avoiding the forums for a few days, but this morning I said that reading and posting is what helps to stay at it. And it did help. I admitted my weakness and got my butt into the gym.
And I worked damn hard, and now I'm exhausted. I drank my protein shake when I got home, and crawling back into bed sounds tempting.
I know where I want to be physically, and honestly, it's not that extreme. I want to be under 140 lbs, I don't want my body to hurt, and I want to stay healthy as I get older. I want to look cute in my jeans and tank top when I go out two-stepping, and I want to look better in my belly dance outfits. And I know what I have to do.
We're expecting a snowstorm tonight, so chances are I'm stuck in the house tomorrow. So today it's off to the store to stock up on healthy food. I definitely falter when the supply starts to slack.
Annette, I read your message this morning on my way out to work and didn't have time to respond. I'm so glad you seem to be in much better spirits concerning your workouts and your eating plan Great job! (to you and all your cheerleaders on this board!)
Annette, I know how you feel. I sprained my wrist last week and my workouts are very limited. I'm really getting discouraged because I had to drop the weights in just about everything except the pulldowns and I feel like I'm somehow disconnected. My weight is up 2 pounds and I'm thinking of backing down the food until I can lift where I should be lifting at the end of phase I. I don't know whether to just stop lifting until I heal because maybe I'm just making the sprain worse doing what little but I'm doing?????
The limitation is nerve damage in my left wrist. It causes lots of problems when lifting. I have recently bought hook/grips and was able to increase by 15 lbs in my seated rows (from 70 to 85 lbs.) I physically can't hold with my left hand over a certain weight (I'm only holding with 2 fingers.) And yes, I whine about it a lot. Plus my wrist doesn't bend properly so things like pushups hurt. I know I just need to suck it up and do my best.
Grab some hex dumbbells or some other item to allow you to grip it and plant it on the floor. Do pushups like that.
Or, whine and moan and bitch and complain about what a little wuss girl you are that you can't manage to do anything.
I'd say both work equally well, but i'm not much for lying.
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I don't want to take pictures, I know I've gained. I keep telling myself this is about the changes that occur in 6 month, and realistically, if I only drop 10 lbs in that time (plus gain some muscle) that would be fantastic.
I don't like pictures. They make me look at myself and see myself for what I am in the limited 2d way that pictures do.
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I'm just one of those that doesn't focus well, doesn't like lists, and hates to be told what to do. You'd think at my age I'd stop rebelling.
Wow. Are you also sucky at math, lazy, stupid, rude, sloppy, and generally sucky about everything? Keep reinforcing that belief, then it's harder to change because you believe it so much. Because of course you're being told what to do. You certainly don't want to do this. You didn't choose to do this. You have no power here what so ever because you're too stupid, lazy, selfish, obnoxious, clumsy, fat, and ugly to be able to take responsibility, own up to what you want from yourself, and work for it. You're not worth your goals. Just give up now.
Please, however, keep the whining to a minimum as you slink off into unhealthy fat land... those of us who are smart, sexy, funny, nice, pretty, and fully able to choose our own destiny don't want to hear it.
Honestly.... who's holding you back, anyway? The best thing I've ever done for myself is to convince myself that I have good traits, not bad ones.
I know you've gotten back on track some, but keep this in mind for the future, because the road is long and sometimes tough, and it requires balls to stay on track.
I hadn't tried the hex dumbbells for pushups yet as I was still doing them against the bench (about 30 degrees.) I was able to do 10-12 yesterday, so I will drop down to the floor next time. And I'll see if they work with the jackknives too. No matter how uncomfortable that exercise is, I can tell how it's working the core. I was happy to see the plank is done on elbows.
Yes, today has been a better day. I spent time rereading my book, listening to podcasts with both Cosgroves on them and doing some more research on his view of exercise and his programs.
One thing that really made a lot of sense was about why to do a full-body workout 3x a week, as opposed to individual parts (1-2x a week.) The muscle breaks down and builds in that 48 hr period, then you hit it again. So if you do 1 chest exercise M, W, and F, you've actually done as much work as if you'd done them all in one day. But the gains are more. Wow....that makes so much sense for some reason. Kind of like a lightbulb going off in my head.
Annette,
I wanted to also let you know that you are not alone in this ... I have been sick for nearly 2 weeks ... just when I think I'm feeling better, I slip a little backward (into fatigue). It has historically been really hard for me to maintain motivation to eat healthy if I'm not getting in the gym time!
But, remember that this is a PROCESS! Anyone who has successfully lost weight and kept it off will tell you that they weren't "perfect" 100% of the time. What they were was consistent. They never gave up and "restarted". They just said, "oh well" and picked themselves up and kept heading in the right direction.
What I tell my clients about eating is this. If there are too many overwhelming changes to make to your diet, don't do it all at once. Then I think you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead, make small manageable changes. It might take a few months to get your diet where you want it, but it will be relatively easy.
Start by making a list of what you feel you need to change. It might look something like this.
1. Start eating breakfast.
2. Eat 5-6 times per day instead of 2-3.
3. Eat 4-5 servings of veggies per day.
4. Stop drinking soda.
5. Drink 80+ ounces of water each day.
6. Eat protein at every meal.
etc etc.
Then prioritize. Maybe start with something that would be easy for you to do so you get some success. After a few days or a week, when that change feels ingrained, then add another change. Pretty soon you'll be doing all the right things and it won't have been a horrible change to do.
If you were to go from eating twice a day of fast food and prepackaged meals to the perfect clean diet, it would be hard and overwhelming. But if you break it down into manageable steps (that YOU determine) it is easier to implement and something you are more likely to make a lifestyle habit change instead of a quick fix.
Regarding tracking in Fitday or continuing to do WW ... really both are just ways to track your calories. If you do WW (because you like the meetings or you like the accountability of being weighed each week) then maybe do Core, or do Flex, but use your points for proteins, fats, and carbs (fruits, whole grains, starchy veggies) and eat lots and lots of 0-point veggies. Limit processed foods that come from a box. Be sure to eat your exercise points, and also try to use up your extra 35 points per week. That will give you more calories to have the energy for Alwyn's workouts and fuel better recovery.
Don't make the diet thing harder than it has to be. Remember that ultimately it has to be something that you can stick with ... and only YOU know what that is going to be. Start with the small changes and go from there.
YOU CAN DO IT!!!
__________________
Life's a Journey ... Enjoy the Ride!
Pushups bother my wrists too so I do them on my knuckles. Maybe you could try that? Or holding some dumbbells.
My wrists don't bend to where I can flatten my hands, so I always use 10 pound dumbbells or do the push-ups from my knuckles. I can do 20-25 push-ups from the floor now, but I did have to work my way up.
Tell yourself that you're in it for the long haul (even past the end of the challenge), make the lists and a plan as Julie has suggested, get back in the gym, and refocus on your goals. (Easier said than done, I know, but there it is .) And remind yourself all the time that you CAN do this!
HELP!!! I've lost momentum
Linear Mode
