Don’t be afraid of bulking up. Your average competitive bodybuilder would crawl through 20 feet of broken glass in return for a guarantee that they’ll gain 10 pounds of muscle in the next year. Less experienced types, such as you and me, can gain a little quicker, but not much–15 pounds a year is the most that anyone but a teenaged boy can hope for.
That’s actually exactlly what I meant. I understand totally about having to start, and work yourself up. All I was trying to point out was that 7.0 is actually pretty fast, so slowing down a bit, may let you run that whole distance, with no walk breaks. See if you can do a mile and a half a 6.0 or something, I’m willing to bet that you can go farther at that pace than you think. On page 2 of this thread, I copied my running program. One of the main reasons that I switched to something like that was just to shock my body out of it’s routine. Get it used to doing something else. For example, the repetition workout may be something you can do. One day a week, do 5 minutes at an easy pace (probably 5.5 or 5.0 for you), then start doing 1 minute at 7.0 and 3 minutes at that slow pace (again, 5.5 or 5.0) try and do six repetitions of that set, then another 5 minutes of cool down. It’s not that I run any farther, or faster really for my total time, but it’s something different to challenge my body.
And as you said, great job on all of us. Sticking with it is hard…very hard. So if you find yourself wavering, come on back to this thread, and read through it again, post how you’re doing instead of getting that ice cream. The first months are the hardest, once you get past that, it’s much easier.
I’m down to 196 this week. 6lbs to go for my 1st goal, 11 total before I’m completely content.
Had a bit of a head-banging accident at work the other day, so I haven’t felt well, but I’m still with y’all and trying to lose right along with you. Just haven’t been able to ride my bike for a few days, and it’s making me a bit cross.
Continued best wishes to all of us.
Quasi
I noticed you hadn’t checked in, then a few minutes ago I saw your head-bang thread. Hope you feel better now.
Thanks, lorinada! 
I’m gettin’ there, and will be back to “abby-normal” in a day or so. I appreciate your concern. 
Quasi
I’m noticing a disparity between the scale at home, the scale at they gym, and the scale at Weight Watchers. According to WW, I’m losing verrrry slowly - less than a pound a week, and they say I actually GAINED last week. The other two scales tell a different story.
From the amount of activity that I do, and the amount of food that I eat, there is no way I have gained weight. I’ve decided to stop going to WW so that they can weigh me on inaccurate scales. According to them, since March 19 I have lost 1.2 lbs. The other two scales say it’s 5-6 lbs.
Yes, I know this makes me sound like a conspiracy freak. I’ll live with that to save myself $44 a month and pep talks from people who lost “10 pounds and kept it off for 5 years! Oh what a trial it’s been”. I have a hell of a lot more than that to lose, lady, and your claims that I must be doing it wrong aren’t helping any.
I’m still on the band wagon. I’m working out 4-5 times a week and this morning I started going to a yoga class. Man I never knew yoga was such a workout! But I did an hour and a half of it and I feel great.
I’m still not on any particular diet, I’ve just cut back a lot on food. I don’t snack constantly and I don’t eat frozen pizza for dinner 3 times week anymore. I ususally have a salad for lunch and sometimes dinner too. I went out to eat last night and resisted the cheeseburger that was calling my name and got a grilled ham and cheese instead!
My only fall back though. For months now everytime I’ve been going to the grocery store they’ve been out of Ben and Jerry’s One Sweet Whirled. But the weekend I start my diet they finally have it in stock and it’s on sale! ACK! I caved and bought two containers but I am not gorging myself on it no matter how much I want to. I just eat a few bites every couple of nights as a small treat.
Oh I went to the doctor Monday and their scale weighed me in at 228. That means I’m down at least 5lbs. w00t!
Concerning the Splenda: if you go to Splenda.com, and send them a compliment email, they will send you a lovely packet via snail mail that includes a huge list of products sweetened with Splenda, some coupons and a few recipes. IIRC, the site also has a lot of information plus you can order it directly.
I use the stuff every day, and I now like it as much as sugar, especially in iced tea. I have unfortunately found it easy to become addicted to the Hershey sugar-free products they just came out with. Reeses cups are the best.
Diet Rite has really saved me though. I couldn’t drink diet drinks with nutrasweet because it gives me migraines. Plus diet rite just tastes good to me.
On another subject, I went shopping today. I was looking for new jeans because my size 24s were falling off of me. I tried a 22, then a 20…I’m in an 18 now! Still not doing the scale thing but I’m still feeling great!
I do have a question to fitness brains. I work construction/painting for about ten hours a day. I rarely stop moving. How many calories do you reckon I’m burning? And how can I possibly find the energy to exercise after all that?
That’s GREAT, Rushgeekgirl!
Well, I’m still here, but with some reservations recently. Last Thursday, I had another kidney stone attack. I’ve managed to stay out of the hospital so far, but even my regular daily activity is far beyond me at the moment, so exercise is out of the question! I’ve had very little appetite, though. This morning, breakfast consisted of one slice of whole wheat toast with butter and a sugar-free jell-o cup! I’ve been drinking bottles of OceanSpray LightStyle cranberry juice cocktail (artificially sweetened), and not much else. Haven’t been to the gym to weigh, so don’t know what my weight is doing.
Congratulations everyone! I’ve been lurking around this thread for a while but posted my diet/exercise plan a fe days ago:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=174798 (sorry, I don’t know how to post the URL more elegantly).
I got a diagnosis of insulin resistance in late January, and I’ve lost 27 pounds since then. I’m now at my initial weight loss and blood sugar goals (I’d hoped to meet them by June), and hope to continue until I’m back at my high normal adult weight (150 pounds; I’m 5’32"). At that point I’d like to assess whether I still need medication for a variety of Syndrome X symptoms, and stabilize in that weight range. If all goes well, I’d like to be 10-15 pounds below that. Frankly, a size 12 looks mighty fine from where I’m standing. I can now wiggle out of a pair of 18 jeans without unzipping them, which is a good party trick, anyway.
That’s 5’3"–my keyboard is sticking.
Depends on whose party you’re at!
Anyway, welcome to the thread!
Well, I did grow up in Maryland, so you may be familiar with my idea of a party.
Sorry to hear about the kidney stone attack. I imagine it’s frustrating, in addition to everything else.
I weighed myself this morning. I am 15.5 lbs down since I began dieting on March 2.
Pardon me. It was February 25, not March 2.
Good morning, boys and girls.
Weigh in day.
235
Total lost since 01/06/03: 35 pounds
Total to go: 98 pounds
Oh, yeah! The most frustrating thing about it is that I’ve been getting these damned kidney stones for more than 25 years now, and nothing I’ve tried seems to have been able to slow them down! And I just found out this morning that I have not, as I had thought, been drinking the Ocean Spray LightStyle. Hubby had just been buying me the 100% juice, no sugar added! I told him if I end up hooked on sugar again, I’m blaming him!
Great progress Ginger and Lorinda!
Boo-Yah to Rushgeekgirl, I can relate as I recently dug out my 34x34 Levi jeans from storeage and found them to be a little roomy. I had been wearing 36x34 and they’ve gotten incredibly baggy.
Today is a new “low” for me, down to 184.8 this morning. Just about 10 pounds to go to my target weight of 175. Great motivation for tonight’s trip to the gym!