Friday Exercise Group

Krystal, I sure hope you did better than me this week because I need some inspiration and maybe a kick in the pants. Other than the weekend, I only exercised once this week. It has been much harder for me to get back into my work routine than I anticipated. Even though I'm carrying around 40 less pounds, it is still exhausting getting up so early in the morning and doing such a heavy physical job on so little food. Maybe the food issue isn't as important as missing so much sleep. Whatever it is, I'm feeling exhausted all the time and have to find a way to overcome it! My next post-op appointment is approaching in two and a half weeks and I want that next official weigh-in to be a great one! This weekend's plans: sleeping in!, pilates on Saturday, stair stepper on Sunday and Monday. Is anybody else intimidated by going to a regular gym where it seems that nobody is overweight? I stopped in to the base gym today to pick up a class schedule and everyone working out was in great shape and there were mirrors on all the walls. Yuck! The classes are all too advanced so I think I may have to keep working out at home till my husband finds a new job. (just got laid off today) Molly

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's job... I'll keep you guys in my thoughts, for sure. I know what you mean about not finding the energy - it can be SO HARD to force yourself to do an extra something strenuous, let alone just your normal day-to-day stuff! That being said, I've found that while convincing yourself to hit the gym can suck, the way you feel afterwards is worth it!! I always have more energy, more stamina for everyday activities ( ), and my mood is so much better. I'm just going to try to encourage you to make it a priority, since it WILL make you feel better. As for me, well, you should check-out my latest update on my profile. Eeek! Monday - Legs and Cardio (working the eliptical in!) for about an hour. Tuesday - throwing up, so I didn't go in... too much cottage cheese! Wednesday - Arms and Cardio for about 45 minutes... definitely not enough. Thursday - I had a "reprogram" at my gym, where my workout was made tougher... it's going to hurt, but I should see better results. Friday - Nada. I had to go in to work when I wasn't expecting to. I know that working out with mirrors around reminding you that you're not the same size as everyone out can seem daunting - just do what I do and don't look around! It sounds stupid, but it works. Here's to progress!! Good luck this next week. - Krystal 388/300/190.

Krystal, thank you for the encouragement! Sounds like you did really great this week but I'm sorry to hear about the cottage cheese. Your reprogram...does that mean you have a personal trainer or does your gym just set up a schedule for you to follow? That is really intriguing. I think the base has personal trainers but I have to find out the cost and the time availability. Unfortunately, they close the walking track part of the gym during the times when I can come in after work (on my 'easy' days) for military physical training and assessment so workout time is limited. It is a half-hour drive for me to get to my job on base so I thought it'd be smart to workout there but it is looking more like I should find a gym to join nearer to my home. I need to be able to make less excuses and make exercising a higher priority like you said. One of the worst things about dh getting laid off is that he is going to be underfoot way too much. He likes to watch me work out (ahem!) and it makes me really uncomfortable. Maybe I won't mind so much in another forty pounds or so but for now there is too much wiggling and jiggling. He gets laid off each year, his job is considered full-time seasonal (plows snow) and now he needs to look for a spring/summer job. It is a weird schedule, we were so used to his routine before he retired from the military. Molly

LOL.. make him exercise with you, and then he won't have time to ogle Just don't tell him that's what you're doing. Say something like, "Hey, I need a work out partner for motivation! Want to bounce around to Richard Simmons (or whoever) with me?" That being said.. I still refuse to go to the regular gym. I'm trying to psych myself in to working out with my tapes at home, but everyone has different sleep schedules, and I don't want to be waking anyone up. I figure I have a couple more weeks and the weather will turn, and then I don't have to worry about anything. I can just get on my bicycle, that I'm going to go buy next payday, and go for a ride.