I joined Dragon's, a local health club, back in October. This was the first time I had done serious exercise after going to toning tables for the last 9 years. I had managed to get myself a swimming costume and on my holiday to Turkey went in a swimming pool for the first time in 20 years, so I came back determined to continue.

My swimming is improving slowly, but I spend more time at aquafit. Today, Saturday, I started the morning off with a very active aquafit class.

In the gym I started at the lowest levels possible. With regard to cardiovascular workouts I have worked up to 10 minutes on the rotex and am now beginning to increase the resistence level from 1. Similarly I have worked up to 5 minutes on the glidex. I also do 15 minutes on the treadmill at the end and am beginning to increase the gradient, but not the speed.
On the resistence training front I started with just free weights. 2 Kg dumbells to do upright rows, chess presses, bicep curls and ovewr head press. I now use a body pump bar and have increased the total weight to 7 kg for upright rowing and 9 Kg for the rest.
I also do a couple of other exercises on my abs and legs on the mat. I'm off to the gym tomorrow so I'll let you know how I get on.

Since January I have been doing body pump classes once a month which is really great. I am just beginning to increase the weights for several of the exercises. My body shape seems to have improved since I have been doing this.

I certainly feel exhausted at the end, about 80 minutes, and very red in the face.

It was quite quiet at the gym this afternoon.
I completed 10 mins on the rotex at level 3 OK
Abductor machine did 16 reps at 30 kg, up 5 kg from last time
Managed two sets of 16 lunges for each leg
Using a body pump bar did
16 reps twice of upright row at 7 Kg
16 reps twice of bicep curls at 10 Kg, up 1 kg from last time
16 reps twice of overhead raises at 10 kg, as above, up 1 kg
16 reps twice of inline pressess at 10 kg, as above, up 1 kg
Managed 4 minutes on the glidex at level 3. My left calf began to protest near the end
Did 15 vacuum holds - what I do for my abs
Then two sets of 16 dorsal leg raises on each leg
Finally the treadmill. Today only 5 minutes at 3.0 kph and 2% gradient as left leg began to protest again.

Felt great afterwards, if rather red faced. An hour or so later it certainly ups the level of ketosis.

Next session scheduled for Tuesday.

Little Anne

Hey Anne!
Looks like you're off to a GREAT start! I'm glad you started a gym log....I find it helps to keep myself on track! I look forward to watching your progress!

Linda

Managed to fit a week day session at the gym this week. Don't know why, but my cv stuff was very hard and could not do it all. Started off bad, but resistance training went ok. Was really pleased to be able to do the treadmill bit at the end in full though. Had a good nights sleep, but still seem to be glowing (my cheeks) from last nights efforts. Must drink more water!!!

I completed only 4 mins on the rotex at level 3 - very hard work
Abductor machine did 16 reps, twice, at 30 kg
Two sets of 16 lunges for each leg - 64 all told
Using a body pump bar did
16 reps twice of upright row at 7 Kg
16 reps twice of bicep curls at 10 Kg
16 reps twice of inline bench press at 10 kg
16 reps twice of bench press at 10 kg
Missed out the glidex at level 3
Did 15 vacuum holds
Then two sets of 16 dorsal leg raises on each leg - 64 again
Treadmill - for the first time in about 4 weeks did 15 minutes at 3.0 kph and 2% gradient.

Attended my sixth body pump class in a month, the first one being on 27 Jan. I really enjoy this form of exercise and it is certainly improving my muscle tone, big time.

I'm really pleased that I was able to increase my weights for the one hour session. I was up to kilo to 4 Kg for all tracks with the exception of the horizontal chest and tricept tracks when I used 5 Kg weights. Up till then it was just 2 Kg for everything.

By the end I certainly felt I had had a workout, but it will feel better next time, I know from experience.

Went to Aqua fit this morning for 45 mins or water aerobics. I like this class as the instructor works you quite hard and you can feel you are working quite hard. I just wish I was an inch or two taller as this would help make some of the exercises easier as being so short the water comes to my shoulder height in the shallow end and makes me a bit too bouyant.

A very satisfying session.

I'm new to this forum and am undecided to try atkins all the way. I'm using a 'thing" of my own based on part Sugar busters and Schwarzbein P. Low glycemic eating and deffering the carbs.
My intern counceled me and said unless I kept a diary,she would not believe that I didn't over eat. She calims most people "like me" lie and eat about 2,000 more calories than we admit.

I think I'm eating roughly 1,500 calories and if I kept the carbs low enough, I should see some wweight loss.
But to be onsuming 2,ooo more would mean a LOT of food!!

Because of my age and so many medical things going on, I need to be very careful, especially since I had a severe case of the gout about 3 weeks ago.

Did I read you stats correctly, you want to go down to 90 lbs?
My lifetime stats were in the 117 to 130 range and I always kept it in check with low carb foods. most of my adult life. As I got older it got more difficult. The year of a horrible divorce in 87 left me with out a shread of stamia. it was all I could do to devote every bit of energy to my job, since there is no suport for women in NY.{even though I had been married for 37 years}

I guess if I can just get under 200 lbs, I may feel normal enough to buy regular size clothing rather than the x plus.

You sound very young and I commend you for keeping with your program. Helps me to think I can do the same.

Hi

Thanks for your message. I'll try to answer your questions, probably in a different order, but here goes.

No, I'm not so young, just having had my 47th birthday. I am also only 4 fet 6 inches tall, so that is why I want to get down so low. In addition my scales weigh light, so it may be nearer a 100 if I ever get there!!!!

Keeping track of calories is not something you thing too much about doing low carbing, but what I sound from other posts was a site called fitday.com which allows you to put in what you eat each day and gives you all the nutritional information including calories, carbs, proteins and fat. This might be a good way to go. You put in your own weight and it calculates how many calories you need a day, depending upon what you do during the day, and you can add in other activities as you do them. As it is an American site it should be right up your street. As a UK resident some of the info does not tally with UK facts and figures, so I use it as a guide. You do need to eat quite a lot on this way of living as if your body thinks its not getting enough then you will not loose weight, however you want to be around 500 kcal less a day, I think, to loose weight.

Sorry to hear about the nasty bits in your life. As you say, give yourself a short term goal and work towards that. My target is to get to where I want to be by the time I'm 50.

Keep cheerful and all the best. Hope this is helpful.

Little Ann

Thanks for the response. I'm just 5ft 3 having shrunk from my younger years, making what I need to survive even less.

You are a tiny lady as is my daughter, and through out her growing up, I realized that she would have trouble going a full morning in school with out eating.

A smart DOc I knew, gave her a glucose tolerance test for more than 3 hours and found that her blood sugar level after eating sugar would continue to go down before the critical up turn to normal levels, meaning that she was hypoglycemic. In college, her bio teachers said there was no such thing, all people get low sugar readings when they don't eat every four hours.

{what the heck happens when you seelp for 6/7 hours at a time/}
That is why fasting blood sugar readings can offer info when fasting 15 hours at least. My last test the moring indicated a low reading of 88. To me that meant what ever I had before 8 pm the night before caused the BS to drop way low and if I went any longer, it would have gone in the 70's. {not good}

And yes you are young, still. I applaud you for wanting to get healthier and a lower weight by 50. By the time I was fifty, I had a good figure and was controlling the insulin I think very well.

But that was another day, I have to deal with what I have now and try as hard as you to get my weight down and control the insulin to prevent diabetes.
I think I need to visit a new endocrinologyst to see if I can get the latest scoop on how to approach this every increasing problem.
Something that makes sense to me as well.
And yes I did go to fitday and started the diary, but I have yet to figure how it works. Right now all I have is the food recorded and don't find any other info forth coming.
There is also another site that helps with this and it is called Weight Commander. {free download at first}

Since I'm new at this computer thing, I find talking to a UK citizen facinating.

Well Jujubaby

Not sure what time it is with you, but suspect it is in the afternoon. It is just coming up to 10 pm here and almost bed time. I've now finished my Guiding census stuff, thank goodness, over three hours of headache, and so just got back to the internet for a little light relief.

It is interesting how easy it is to talk on the internet and be miles away. It is much easier than picking up the phone. Good for you on getting familar with a computer. I must admit I've used one at work since 1988, but the software is constantly changing and so know enough to get by and a bit more.

Interested in what you said about sugar levels. This is not something I am particularly familiar with as we don't generally measure it, except when diagnosed as diabetic.

Glad you went to fitday. Yes it does not seem to give much extra help, but it does give you a base line. Talking of which I better go and add the rest of my days food in.

What's the weather like with you? Here it has been a cold but sunny day with a top temperature of 8 degrees C.

Enjoy the rest of the day.

Little Anne

Hi little Ann:

the blood sugar monitoring was my idea, because I believed what Atkins and Schwarzbein was indicating. That eating carbs causes the blood sugar to rise and then the insulin pump, making the Blood sugar level fall. I guess the distance that it rises and falls is what I want to control.

I 'm more comfortable with what I'm doing as the days go by. I feel as if I have control now and that the choice to stay on a low carb/sugar program is easy once you commit to it.

I guess anger played a part in my frustration as well as confusion in deciding what and which way to continue. Having people to talk to is also a good feeling. I hope we continue to communicate.

Today I did nothing but read and respond to a liberal report that my son sent to me regarding relatives and extended family used for child care. Allegedly grandma and aunties babysitting are NOT as good for children as professional child care.

Such bunk!

The weather here is getting totally out of control since the artic air from Canada is coming down rather fiercely. I recently moved to Houston Texas, to get away from the cold, ice and snow of the northeastern US.{Upstate NY} Only to find that it gets cold here in the southwestern part of the US.

I have been retired only since 1996 and purchased a small house here in Houston w/ a small in ground pool and hot tub. But I can't see my self going out in this weather to sit in a hot tub while the wind is swirling around my head and bod.

It sounds rather luxurious, but believe me it is modest indeed.
and I am fortunate to have it even tho the bank owns the major portion.

It's now about 11:27 pm Friday and I need to post on my fitday.
So I'll be off soon. By the by, I know a young couple here that come from the UK {neigbors of my son's} and have decided to go back , because of the failure of Enron. The hubby was quite successsful until the collapse. I'm sure the grandmum and poppy will be so glad to have them return with their charming grandchildren.

Take care little Ann

send me mail anytime, I would love to hear more about you and the Uk

Hi Jujubaby

I was going to send you a private message by adding you to my buddy list, but I discover I can not do so until you have made 25 posts!!

Your place sounds great, however modest. Pity about the weather. Hope it warms up soon. Today is cold, but with sunny spells. I'm off to the Gym this afternoon, so will post later on how I got on.

Little Ann

Although my knee does not really hurt I decided that it was best not to tackle the rotex and glidex today, as well as the lunges, and do a treadmill sandwich instead to get the cv stuff up.

Drank lots of water, 1 litre rather than the usual 500 ml - thirsty work.

Treadmill - 10 minutes at 3.5 kph and 2% gradient
Abductor machine did 16 reps, twice, at 30 kg - tried 35 kg, but it was too difficult
Using a body pump bar did:
16 reps twice of upright row at 7 Kg
16 reps twice of bicep curls at 10 Kg
16 reps twice of inline bench press at 10 kg
16 reps twice of bench press at 10 kg
15 vacuum holds
Two sets of 16 dorsal leg raises on each leg - 64 in total
Treadmill - 15 minutes at 3.0 kph and 2% gradient - Not so worn out as I found this easier to achieve than in previous weeks.

hi Little Ann:
It Looks like you did a nice work out. I had to stop the gym beginning of January because it was just too difficult for me.
Just getting into position on the leg press was a chore.
I know I have to start again, but right now I need to consentrate on eating right.

I had a large breakfast of 2 eggs and 3 whites set over sm onion;3 mushrooms sliced;1/2 zucchini sliced and sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. Also added 2 oz mozzerella cheese and let it set . Italians call this a "fratatta". Comes out like a flat pie.

As in all immigrants, my great grand parents came fromsomewhere in Italy. My mom and dad were born here, making my family second generation Americans.

The politics of America seems to devide people forever, calling them Italian-Americans; French- Americans etc. I hated that second class citizenship since I was a child. My Son married a lady that came from French-Canaidian Arcadia. So what does that make my grandchildren? I hope just American's.

My son surprised me and said grandma; we are coming to get you to go to lunch and some shopping. {around noon} I didn't fuss, I just went along and since I didn't feel hungry, just sipped a sm, bloody mary with celery sticks and fed the 9 month old bannana from a jar. It was a nice outing and we walked around the warehouse type of building, for supplies.

But somehow, by the time they got me home, I was hurting all over. Knees, back everywhere. {I have been diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia in the past although the Rehumitologyst here in Houston questions that} So I took half a "Vicadin" and fell asleep on the living room couch. Delicious!!

So I'm ready to post on fitday and ate mircowaved broccoli, while waiting for everything to kick in.

My son is a geo-phys that does oil exploration for his own company. {he is a one man show but works very hard and sometimes hitches up with an other independent.} His wife is an accomplished endo-dentist {root canal}.
I babysit for her every monday since she is just getting sarted with an independent Dentist.

It is not easy for me, but I want the children to be safe and well cared for when mommy is away.

Won't post again till tommorrow night.
Have a pleasant evening.

Hi Jujubaby

I hope that you are having a good Monday. It is nearly over for me, approaching 9 30 pm in the evening. The day went OK and have spent the evening at my computer typing the minutes of the meeting held at my house last Monday.

Interested to hear about your family, particularly the one in geo phys as I am a analytical and organic chemist, by profession.

I had not realised how much Americans are pigeon-holed depending upon where their parents came from. We have this to some extent with those that sought asylum here after the second world war and subsequently. It is slowly getting better and there is a lot of effort to avoid racial predudice.

Hope the baby sitting goes well. I'm still not sure what time it is with you, but it has to be at least 6 hours earlier in the day.

Interested in what you had for breakfast. Why do you use egg whites? I have seen this in several people's menus: 1 egg adn 2 egg whites. What happens to the other yolks?

Speak to you soon.