Fitness Fridays Health Club #2 - Get Up & Get Moving!!!

[christa]

Christa - big leg day. I did way too many squats at too much weight and I did the elliptical backwards for most the time which kills my thighs. My thigh muscles hurt to touch for two days. I felt like I should look like Arnold Schwarzenegger but when I would look down it was just my flabby ole thighs.

Lori: Too many squats? How many did you do??? How much weight are you using? Are you using the barbell yet? I do 1 set with just the barbell - usually about 10-12 reps (just to warm up) . . . then I do 4 sets of 8 with . . . I think I'm up to 15 pounds added to the barbell (two 5 lb plates and two 2.5 lb plates). That's usually enough for me . . . then lunges with dumbbells . . . usually keeps me from walking for about 3 days!!!

Another thing, if you're not used to doing heavy leg days with weights like this, it WILL get easier . . . you're discovering muscles you didn't know you had! BUT . . . if it does get easier, you need to go up in weight.

[jazzcat]

Lori: Too many squats? How many did you do??? How much weight are you using? Are you using the barbell yet? I do 1 set with just the barbell - usually about 10-12 reps (just to warm up) . . . then I do 4 sets of 8 with . . . I think I'm up to 15 pounds added to the barbell (two 5 lb plates and two 2.5 lb plates).

I've started doing squats on the Smith machine and I went up to adding a 45 pound weight on each side but after 10 squats I thought I was going to die so I went back to two 35 pound weights. I did 30 total at that weight - 3 sets of 10. With that and all the backwards elliptical at a high resistance I was almost paralyzed Sunday. It hurt to touch my thigh muscles - forget about actually using them. Richard was impressed to see me using that much weight, now I know why.

[christa]

Richard was impressed to see me using that much weight, now I know why.

I'm impressed too! LOL Keep it up though! It won't hurt as bad next time . . . and now that you know that you can do it . . . YOU CAN'T GO BACK! You should try to squat the barbell sometime! It really challanges your core cause you gotta keep your balance. Lower your weight at first though. I like it better because my movement isn't as restricted, like with the Smith machine. I think that once you'd get the balance thing down, you'd like it a lot better!

[carole]

Lori and Robilee if it helps, you are not alone, I too have had a stink week, i have been on and off my programme all week, last week i lasted four days and blew it, this time two days and two days off, back on today, i really have to stop doing this, mind you I have been doing this all winter long, I am desperate to shift the two kilos i have gained and then get back to loosing more,but it just ain't happening.

Never mind don't loose faith in yourself, I know we can all do it, there are always hiccups along the way, I just have to learn how to stop myself binging,although i can write and say all this, in my head i know i am not feeling at all positive,but hey today is going ok so far, and tomorrow is another day, one day at a time,gotta get those positive thoughts in my head and keep then there, to everyone else who has done well congrats, and to those struggling as I am,sending positive vibes your way for a successful rest of the week and then some.

[christa]

Well, I'm using my 3,000th post to kick your butts into shape today! LOL Is that motivation enough???

(Sorry - I think I've been around my drill sgt. FIL too much lately!)



You all have done so well so far . . . but I DO understand the hurdles! Trust me, I have had plenty of them! I still do!!! I've been going through this for over 2 years now and have just now reached my weight loss goal!!! So when I say it doesn't happen over night, I mean it!

Robin, how's it going??? Haven't heard from you in awhile!!!

Sara . . . are you feeling better???

Anyone working out today???

What's on the menu for today???

Let's just keep motivating each other . . . any way possible!!! Keep moving, keep eating healthy and TRUST ME, it WILL pay off!!!

[Rachel]

Christa, you are a gem and so appreciated. I do get motivation from reading here, but like Carole I don't feel I am being all that successful in maintaining my good intentions and actually time on the computer is one thing that limits activities that expend more calories. What I do do religiously is my exercise program, and I am very attentive to eating healthy. What negates my success is obviously not *eating less*. That is what it is going to take to get the more mature woman to lose extra pounds. I also recently discovered that a medication I take for high blood pressure and irregular heart beat has as a side effect *weight gain* and might be part of the problem. But my motto is *no excuses, just try harder*. Sometimes I wonder if I have that in me any more.

[jazzcat]

Christa, congrats on 3000 posts!

Carole - I'm glad to know I'm not alone but this hiccup has turned into a week long case for me.

I did get back on track exercising today. I went to the gym today for the first time since Friday. It was hard but I did it. I have been walking in the evenings here in the neighborhood but it's been so hot that I haven't been doing my regular 1 1/2-2 miles. I'm trying though.