No workout today (Thurs). TOM. Nuff said. Knees feeling OK. How're you doing, Chick?

Hi Jande!

Had an easy day at work today, so when I got home and found out my DH and son weren't home yet, I grabbed my running shoes and ran out the door and up the hill before they could catch me! The dogs and I had a great walk. I hear you about TOM! I'd love to get to 140 by the end of May, but I'm not sure the timing will be right.

Do you go to a gym at all, or work out at home? I really have a problem getting motivated sometimes at home. I did track and field at Cornell University for four years, and that included inside and outdoor track, so the whole school year we worked out and practiced. We lifted weights three days a week, practiced our events the other two, and travelled on the weekends for meets. It was so easy to work out then, with a coach and team-mates to keep you going. Plus, the competition thing to run faster, or jump and throw further, beat the other team and make your "PB" (personal best). I actually had the Cornell discus record for a few years, although back then women's track was in it's infancy so it wasn't as big a thing as now. I get newsletters each year from the school, and the girls there now could have beaten me throwing left-handed!

Great news on that run! Sometimes you just gotta sneak away and do it! I workout at home. I've only been to a gym twice: once in the 80s as a guest for ladies' only nights and then in the 90s at my husband's company's gym. The ladies' only nights weren't serious to me, as women were goofing off. Why go to smelly gym for that! Tried co-ed nights, but the men didn't seem much better, plus they'd hog the machines and pout if you tried to get in. Then the other place, some old fart (70-ish) patted my butt. GRRRRRRR. So, I just keep to myself. In the Marine Corps, it was each Marine's responsibility to be fit. I took it seriously and had the discipline to make sure I was. Only failed one PFT and that was because I had stomach flu for 2 days and was vomiting the whole run. Blech. Safety tip: don't ever puke on a Marine's shoes.

TOM. This one's not the tougest I've had, but it's pretty bad. Weak, achy, wiped out. Blew diet eating Atkins toast with butter and drop of honey. Hey, it was the LC-best I could do.

You must've been something else at Universtiy! So, it's not the same as now! Big deal! The women today are standing on your accomplishments, is how I see it! They throw farther because you hold them up! Your workouts then must've been quite intense since this was for competition and not just looks and health. A coach and support would be the only way to succeed. I'm impressed. My husband wrestled at Annapolis and listening to him, I can't figure where he got the time to train on top of everything else. Very impressive indeed.

Do you know anything about HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and do you have opinions on it. I've been reading research that says it's superior in fat burning compared to steady state running. IF this is so, should we consider modifying our training?

Hey!

I think I read somewhere here about HIIT. Is that a body-weight only routine, where you pyramid up and down? One such exersize was squat-thrusts with a push-up when you are down. There is some guy over in the intensive exersize forum here that must really be into it, because he was bashing anyone using weights. The routines really sound intriguing, and I am going to attempt it. The best way I have found to get motivated by myself is to blast some good hard rock 'n roll on the stereo! I'll have to research it again, and find the website that showe a bunch of the routines. I remember one was a hand-stand with the feet against the wall, and you had to do push-ups. Think I need to work up to that one!

The marines has to be the most intense thing you can do. I really admire you for going through it! I think I would really have "enjoyed" the challenge of it (maybe after it was over, anyway!). My boss' nephew just got out of basic, and the stories are fascinating. Apparently you are not even allowed to spit. He also said there were some things he wasn't going to ever tell anyone, and that sounded kinda ominous.

Track was really fun, and I have never been in such great shape. I managed to bench press 150 once, which was 10 pounds at the time over my body weight. For a discus thrower I was kinda puny, but I managed to beat alot of the hefty girls just by having a better throwing form. It's all in the physics!

TOM is about here, and I refuse to get on the scales! I know it will just piss me off!

I wonder what ever happened to that Jenn girl? I checked a few days ago, and she hasn't posted any more messages anywhere. Too bad. This forum is really awesome to keep your motivation up!

I just checked out the Advanced/High Intensity place, and found a thread on HIIT! I guess I got that mixed up with another thread there: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=247807 (I'm showing off- that's the first time I figured out how to insert a link!)

I'd like to try some of the moves that these guys are talking about, because I think my cardio is OK, but I need more strengh training. Actually, alot of it seems part cardio part strengh.

Hey, Chick! Sorry I was away. Bad period, as you know, so I've either been asleep or wishing I was. Get this! I weighed in today and am 146.5!!! I don't usually go weighing during TOM, but I did and I'm glad! I don't recommend it tho, as this is NOT the norm. Hang in there and feel free to rant and beat me up. I sure know how it is and wish I had some magic formula and words to give you, and me!

I went to that link (Hey, I haven't figured that stuff out, kudos to you!!!) and read thru. I'm a fan of both. WhatEVER it takes to keep it going for the person trying to shape up, THAT's what works! I do recommend the body weight stuff as you can do that right out of bed and stuff. Most of it you don't even need equipment. Marines train that way, mostly. Let's put it this way: you don't see fat Marines. And you don't see a lot of "Ah-nold"-sized Marines unless they are doing weights specifically AND if they have a waiver . . . the military (the MC, anyway) has a bodyfat % calculation and a bodybuilder can be determined as overweight even tho he's very low in bodyfat and looks great. Marines are definitely the gurus of endurance and I think bodyweight workouts play into that. I've met Marines who were not the biggest guy in the room, but they had encredible strength and endurance.

Man, that handstand you described sounds KILLER! I can't even stand on my head for crying out loud! My balance is the pits. But maybe if I keep at somethign like this, I can master it over time? I'd like to try anyway. Definitely won't if I don't try.

Being a Marine was/is tough. Once a Marine Always a Marine. It's tougher right now when I see how bad I look and how bad I feel. There's a sticker I need to get . . . "Not as Mean, Not as Lean . . . All Marine" hehehehe It's harder being a Marine's wife because he thinks he knows everything . . . oh, wait, that's every guy. Sorry. But it's like he says,
"I'm not always right, Dear, I'm just never unsure." grrrrr

I'll look into the HIIT at the thread you mentioned. You have any thoughts on it?

I hope Jenn is OK too. But you know how it is, maybe she just got caught up on some home activities and hasn't been on in a while? Hey, Jenn, if you're out there, we miss you!

Tawk later, CL. Peace.

Congrats an the weight loss! So did you go from 153 to 146.5? The way you're working out, the pounds should keep coming off! Gotta get my ass in gear here. You're going to catch up to me!

I think LC messed me up again, I'm on BC, and it should have begun yesterday (NOT that I'm really missing it!). It was awesome when I had my son and then breastfed because I went like 1 and 1/2 years without a period! And it must have done something good for my hormones as I never have had a cramp since.

There must be some really hard-core guys over in the High Intensity forum- they always make me feel like a wimp! I'm afraid to post there! But, I am very interested in the body-weight exersizes, and will read up a little more. Over the winter I would do little intervals, like jumping jacks for a minute, jog in place a minute, squat-thrusts for a minute, jog in place a minute, basically alternating some high intensity stuff with a slowdown in between. You can really get a workout in in a hurry that way!

My boss's nephew said the same thing about the marines. He was a big guy, did alot of football and weight-training in high-school. He put on some weight after graduation, and missed the first opportunity to boot camp because he was too heavy. So he worked out hard, mostly weights, and got in the next time. He said after he would have totally skipped the weights if he had known, and concentrated on cardio before he went instead. He lost alot of fat and muscle during training since there was so much cardio and not much real lifting.

The HIIT stuff sounds mostly like running intervals. Is that right? We did that in Jr. High track alot, and it was a killer. That's when I knew I didn't want to do any of the running events. I remember watching the long distance runners work out on the track, doing intervals, and they looked like they were going to throw up from exhaustion. Being a thrower was fun. When we travlled for a meet, my roomy and I would find a convenience store, each buy a pint of Ben and Jerry's, and watch Dallas and Falcon Crest!

I'm an idiot, because I keep forgetting to update my current weight. I was holding at 153 for the longest time, and then 149, then 148 . . . you get the picture. Anyway, I just lost the 149 to 146 (today!!) in past 2 weeks!!! I'll probably stall now and hafta wait another 2 months. grrrr Trust me, you'll blow by me before you know it.

The Marine bootcamp does involve some weights, but it's not like a weightlifter/ bodybuilder. Theirs is more like your interval training. Fast, furious, go, go, go. There is very little to do in bootcamp that's in first gear, if ya know what I mean. But to a man, they could carry a fellow Marine to safety if he really had to. Muscle? Adrenaline? Marine-ness. I dunno. Maybe it's that Gunny standing over there looking like he's not eaten breakfast. Anyway, what Marines do has to be functional, and weightlifting/bodybuilding aren't truly functional.

Yeah, the HIIT is running stuff. Someone on one of the Advanced threads wrote that a trainer told her that if she felt like she was gonna throw up she was doing it right. Ugh! You've confirmed that with your observations on the LD runners. Too funny about the ice cream. . . . please tell me you didn't let the LD guys see it!! Ouch!

I wasn't Dallas or FC. Husband wouldn't stand for it. So, I got Sledge Hammer and Magnum PI. Now, when he's not around, I catch the Dynasty reruns. Can't believe they hooked me!







Ugh, I wish I could take BC but it gave me melasma. U.G.L.Y. But I shouldn't complain: I researched it and some dear poor women have it so severely. I look normal by comparison. It's also called mask of pregnancy and some women experience it during pregnancy. Some from hormones (BC), some from stress. No one knows why, and it cannot be treated really. Some blessed women get it and it fades and that's it! Then there's the rest of us!

I agree, those guys were getting personal about it. It's OK to be fired up about something, but it's not like this is a moral issue for crying out loud! Hope they have that kind of passion when their wives ask them to take the trash out! That workout you described sounds KILLER! I'll have to wait awhile before I even try that!

Yeah, it was always funny because the poor, skinny runners would always be doing some kind of wierd meal the night before the track meet (they'd almost get superstitious about it!) and we'd wander by with our Ben and Jerry's (thus began my eating problems!).

Magnum PI wasn't too bad, I still think Tom Selleck is hot!

Got a fairly good workout in yesterday just mowing the lawn. I did the regular lawn, about an hour, then did a bunch of trimming for another hour. I planted like 75 spruce trees a few years aback between us and the neighbors, and I like to keep the grass mowed between them, so it's alot of pushing and pulling on the old rustbucket mower to do it. Today, I got drafted to help my DH fix one of his oil wells. They are like 2000 feet deep, and consist of a string of rods inside a string of tubing (each 2000 feet long). We're going to pull the rods out, which are about 20 feet long. The wrenches are heavy, and each rod needs to be pulled out and laid down, so that's 200 trips of 20 feet. It's a fair workout, but I'd like to start some of that bodyweight stuff today, like pushups, pullups, and squats thrusts, and I don't want to overdo it. I remember college when we'd get back in the fall after no lifting all summer, and I'd be a walking torn muscle for two weeks! Not doing that again.

The BC doesn't seem to affect me like some people. I don't think it makes me gain, and it really helps moderate everything. I don't notice any mood swings, have any heavy flows, cramps or anything. I used to have cramps so bad that I'd get sick and dizzy, so I started basically ODing on ibuprofin to kill the worst of the pain. If I could slam 4 pills before the cramps really got going, then I was OK. They'd last about 6 hours, and I'd take another 2-4 pills in 4 hours just to make sure. I was so sick in high school once I had to go home and make up a German final later. And I know alot of women have it alot worse than that! Men will never appreciate what we go through!

So are you still in the marines?

Told my DH about you and the ice cream. He said, "Shot putter?" "Discus." And he had this knowing smile on this face. Funny.

Selleck has done well, aged well. Watching the rerun, I'm enjoying it more now. It was really well written and all the characters . . . take one out and the show would fail. Those guys really made it happen, lots of fun. But Sledge was Da Man.

I was cool with the lawn mowing . . . then you got into the oil stuff. What that . . . where do you live? Texas? Alaska? Kuwait? I've never met anyone with an oil well. This is really different and the work that you were doing made up for any workout you missed, truly! Yikes! As for the bodyweight stuff, I wouldn't recommend taking it to exhaustion. The exhaustion thing never made sense to me, unless in a situation where one had to deplete (like lifesaving). You want to build endurance and strength, not disable yourself. Like, my DH had a time in the Marines when the CO wanted to do a 40K march with all gear. Now, we're talking 80 pounds, in boots. They did it, and my husband even had to carry some guy at the end. Forget how fast they did this, but the next day, the whole lot of them were wiped out. I asked him what would have happened if they'd been called up for battle, and he said they were screwed because they were totally ineffective. So, I'm not a big fan of deplete/exhaust unless absolutely necessary. Trainers and die hards would prolly disagree with me. Guess you'll have to research and figure that one out on your own.

I truly know what you mean about the cramps. I didn't have any till I turned 21-22, then WHAM! And it's been hell since. Before that, I'd see women complaining and I thought they were making it up, or trying to get out of work details or PT. The guys would be pissed and say things like, "gee, wish I could get away with that." And they looked scornfully at women that way. It put pressure on me to always strive harder and I'd be even more honked at those women than the men were for making MY life harder! Well, I had to learn the hard way! Since then, I've been taken to ER, and hospitalized once. Embarrassing because they put me in the maternity ward where I could hear women in serious pain, and I'm in pain with nothing to show for it. Pissed me off. It's been so bad that I've blacked out. And when I worked, I'd have to inform boss that if I ever walked in his office and said I was leaving, he'd just better get over it and had to explain why. And it actually happened once and he was cool about it. Only once in 4 years, so it's no like I was taking advantage or anything. My periods can be quite the trial.

Got wt wrokout in yesterday, and need to get run in today. Am incorporating the HIIT for the mile, want to get the most bang for buck. Will let you know how it goes.

Had to laugh about the oil thing! No, we just live in Pennsylvania, near Bradford. This area is actually the birth place of the oil industry in the U.S. , where Quaker State oil and Kendall and Pennzoil got their start.

Some of DH's wells are over 100 years old, and not too good anymore, but enough to make a living. It was really tight for while until the recent oil price surge, and DH finally bought a new truck and retired ol' Rusty, his 1980 Ford that should have been in some promotional add for Ford. The work is hard, but he loves it and lives it, and when he gets with his buddies it's all they talk about. Sorta like farming, I guess. He's self-employed, with just me and a few buddies for help part-time. Check out my gallery later, I might try sticking an oil shot in there!

Hey! You'll be proud. I finally got a strengh workout in yesterday. I'm with you on the "to the point of exhaustion" thing, so I like to do sets to almost that point. I was surprised, and must credit LCing for the help, but after almost a three month "vacation" I was able to do 3 sets of 20 pushups! The last few in the last set were a little rough, but I did them. I also did three sets of 50 plain squats, and then there was just too much commotion going on around me to do much more! (see my journal!)

It was a good start, and although I didn't get much in, I know I need to start slow. I have considerable discomfort today in my pecs and lats and hams, so I might just do a powerwalk later if I get the chance to loosen up. Tomorrow I'll see how I feel and do some squat-thrusts or something.

I hear you about the gym-thing. When I first moved to town I joined the YMCA, since I was fresh out of college and into the lifting. What a disaster! It was like these guys never had seen a girl lifting weights before! There were NO other women in the weight room, just these idiots, and after a few tries I never went back. I've always been self-conscious, and don't like an audience. Years later I got to use the federal prison's wellness center, as I was a federal employee at the time, and it was better, and I used it for a few years until I quit the bullshit and went to work for a surveyor.

Pennsylvania! Shows what I know about America's industrial history. Husband will prolly know all about this -- gotta get him on jeopardy. For your husband to be able to do this solely and well speak volumes of him. What a work ethic! That's becoming something foreign these days, it seems. Great news on that new truck purchase. My DH bought a 1982 Celica from a gal who was transferring to Brazil and had to get rid of it (this was in '95 and we were civvies). It now has 200K and he won't part till he sees 300K. Insert favorite curse word here. CanNOT get him to part with it. Well, I love driving it too. When I drove my Pontiac GP, ppl tried to cause accidents (have nice car in GA and you'll deal with that). When I drive the Toyota, they part like the red sea: "That chick's got nothin' to lose!!! Clear out!!!" Love it. 1982 Toyota Celica also known commonly as a Georgia limousine.

NICE work on the strength training!!! Did you do boy PUs or girl PUs? I can only do girl PUs right now, and hardly 3 sets of 20!! Go easy so you can keep this up. Maybe every other day, since it seems you'll not be doing any today. I know, I know we're in a run every day challenge, but maybe we can tweak? I definitely check your journal, but how do I do that? Under Profile?

Gyms really are the pits, aren't they! And I too feel uncomfortable. Road work and floor work it is then, plus I have a bench with free wts. It'll hafta do. Got walk in yesterday with dog for an hour and 30 minutes today. Will try to fit in 1 mile and wts but am on deadline with kitchen. Go get 'em!!!

Oh, yeah! 145 today!

Two quick things: you asked if we're still in Marines. No and yes. Not active, but Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

Also, you might want to know my "record" . . . This has been good for me to look over. Ya know, what I think are stalls just simply aren't. Granted I have spans of time where nothing moves, but when it does, it makes up for the time!
Here are my stats:

0101 163
0215 159 (-4)
0305 156 (-3)
0326 153 (-3)
0402 151 (-2)
0418 149.5 (-.5)
0419 149 (-.5)
0427 148.5 (-.5)
0504 149.5 (+1)
0517 149 (-.5)
0521 146.5 (2.5)
0524 146 (-.5)
0525 145 (-1)

Smack me next time I say I'm stalling. Please.

Hey, those are awesome stats! That's about a pound a week, which is what I was at until I hit 143 and realized I was just eating too much! I eat low carb, but one day last week I decided to total what I was eating for a day and it was well over 2000 cals! Looks like I'll have to knuckle down and watch my intake a little better, been lucky I haven't had to so far!

I know what you mean about people scattering when you drive by! we went to a Buffalo Bills game a few years back with the 1980 Ford, and everyone gave us a wide berth in the post-game free-for-all exiting.

I'm proud to say I have always done the boy pushups. Ever since I was a little girl scampering up the backyard trees, I've always been very active and strong. Even now I do alot of physical labor, around our homestead here we have alot of things that need done, and my motto has always been "if you want it done you gotta do it yourself!". DH is a hard worker, but the lease work is demanding timewise as well as energywise, and I hate to ask for help anyway! I built a chicken coop and a sugar shack for maple syruping almost all myself, and help cut the firewood with a chainsaw, stack wood, carry wood, burn wood, wood wood wood... I mow and garden and have tons of fruit trees, nut trees, berries etc.. to care for. I find I follow Dr. Phil's (I love him) advice about making "lifestyle" changes to the tee, and even quit a cushy federal job so I could have a more active and challenging job. I think my journal has something about the surveying work, just click on the little "journal" logo on any of my posts and it'll take you there. Feel free to talk there to, although it's kinda fun here, as I think we have a little audience from the number of views! Anybody out there feel free to stop in here and say "hi!" too!

Anyway, no pushups today either, I AM SORE! Maybe tomorrow. We fixed that well this mornig, so I got a little exercize in, need to put the garden fence up and mow around DH's shop before we need to borrow a hay baler. I work just part-time right now, so I have today off, and the weather is nice.

Yeah, I've questioned the "count only carbs" thingie. There is a point where the body just isn't going to be able to compensate for the extra calories. Thanks on the encouragement, tho. We all can use some of that in excess!

Hilarious about your truck. So you know exactly where we're coming from! HA!

My dad had chickens. ICK! Hated having to feed them. They attack. And I was little so they were bonafide monsters to me. Now that maple sounds yummy and interesting. How the heck you keep LC with maple around is beyond me!

You obviously have a wonderful advantage being born so strong. Some people can't hack it. Some can. I was always little in bone frame and every thing was a challenge to me, made me stupidly competitive, I'd do stupid things. Don't like being competitive now, unless there are real stakes involved (life/death). Have had people comment how strong I am, so I may not be in your league but I hold my own. Of course, I'm larger now but not in a nice way!

Have been busy with a busted water heater and am waiting for the guy to show up now. Spend last nice trying to get the thing drained. Am hoping to do a combo workout this p.m.: wts or body and a 1miler. Hopefully. It's jsut that the timing here is getting hairy and I just don't know what I'll be able to pull off.

Hang in there and I'll get back soon. Drink water!