you two are just so cute.....lol...You are not the only ones that did cardio in the bedroom..... I did my bedroom cardio after my workout.....woo hoo. I am just burning all kinds of calories this weekend too.

WELCOME!! I can't wait to here more about your workouts. Would also love to hear about what it is like training for a contest. I can relate to how you use to feel in the gym. Initially I felt the same way until I got to know all of the regulars. The men are actually very nice to me but its the women seem a little less friendly. I think it might be that they are just less outgoing. Then again most people are not that chatty at 5:30am!! I think it also helps that most people know me via my husband since he also works at the gym and we are both pretty outgoing. I feel really fortunate to be so close to the staff as well. Many of them are good friends that I have known for a few years and see outside of the gym. I do admit though, at 280, I am close to the heaviest, if not the heaviest girl in the gym. There are times that I do get very frustrated with my body but I imagine that probably happens to women at 150 as well. No doubt it my mind that I also have a distorted body image as too. Does this happen to any of you still? Some days I feel lousy about my body and others I am at peace with my body and am able to really focus on my workout. It is during that focus that I have my best workouts. On the days I feel lousy I just try to pat myself on the back for at least making it in to the gym.

Hi guys! Wow what an eye opener tonight was. I went to the Jewish Center with my co-worker/buddy. She also had wls, about a month before Earl. Her weight loss has been much slower, mainly due to her straying from her diet and her lack of exercise. But, here lately I have really been trying to motivate her without words. Actions. She can see what following the program really does, so she asked if I could help her out and I said sure. My youngest daughter and I met her and her only daughter and we proceded to workout. I did a new kind of smith machine, but only took it up to 145# as my max single because I didn't want to hurt myself. I got my leg presses/calf raises in as a superset, my extensions and curls, back rows and I did chins on the machine...that was new and way cool. So, it was an abbreviated work out but I realized how much help she really needed. It was a reminder of how far I had really come, and how blessed and lucky I was to have Earl and a God given ability to be strong. I don't know if she will stick with the weight training or not, I hope so. I know she can benefit from it greatly. She groaned and moaned a lot, but I told her that it is hard work, but worth it. So I had a mental and physical workout tonight. It was fun showing the girls some stuff too. My Meggie did the treadmill and tried the Precor for a few, and I showed Molly my favorite crunches on the balance ball. I think we all took something home from the trip to the center today. Each one teach one. Or as we say in medicine, see one, do one, teach one. Lets spread the knowledge and spend time helping each other out. Makes life worth while! for my homies! Val

I'm working it!

Welcome to the board Donna happy to have you here. Feel free to post as often as you like and share any information that you feel may be helpful to other members on this forum. Alicia