Exercise, Exercise!

Greetings my fellow WA OH'ers!  I want to start a new exercise thread to ask you all what you have been doing for 2009 for your exercise!  Please make this a "hot" thread by replying back with your plans, goals and current successes!  I will post the first reply with my own.  Thanks!!!

-Alan

As far as exercise, I have had some successes this week.  I was able to work out at my company work out room 4 out of 5 days.  I did 35 minutes of cardio at my target heart rate each time, swtiching between the treadmill and an elipitical rider.

Also, at my support group meeting on Monday night, I got hooked up with a good source for protein, which has helped me from doing this after my workout:   

The name of the whey protein powder I am using is Dymatize Elite Whey Protein.  I mix a scoop and a half with water ****d) and I get 32 g of protein and only 2 g of carbs (no sugars).  Whoop whoop!!!

I am going to head south tomorrow for about 70 miles and do a little hiking and digital photography at Mt. Ranier.  I hope the visibility is good!

Cheers!  -Alan

I will be the first to admit I've been a bad girl and not been to the gym yet this year.  I did however order the wii fit since we all love the wii in our house and I know it will work me especially on the days I can't get out to walk because of weather.  I DO try and walk a mile or 2 a day sometimes even when it's light rain.  I got really bored in the gym because I didn't change up my routine so I'm hoping with the wii it will keep it "fun"

I know that exercise is a necessary component of my weight loss and overall health.  I made a commitment to exercise when I decided to have WLS.  Unfortunately, because I have fibromyalgia, arthritis and patellar chondromalcia, CFS, etc. I am physically unable to exercise "like a normal person" and that has and will continue to slow my weight loss.  I have started attending a "gentle yoga" class at Three Trees Yoga in Federal Way weekly as well as doing yoga at home.  I recently started physical therapy for new back issues and as part of that I am walking (forwards, backwards, sideways) and doing other exercises in the water.  This weekend, my husband is supposed to help me convert a spare bedroom into my exercise room in preparation for the Wii Fit I'm rewarding myself with after reaching a weight of 299 pounds.  I have a recumbent stationary bike, but even it hurts my knees (perhaps with more weight loss and less pressure on my joints I will one day be able to walk/peddle/etc ).  As there is a pool available at my PT office, I will continue to use it until my insurance coverage is maxed out (or I win the lottery) at which time I will need to join a gym with a pool in order to continue woth water aerobics.  The only consistent walking that I do is walking Max and I can only handle to the end of the street and back without paying for it dearly the next day.  This is not an energy issue - when I try to do more, the next day I am rewarded by almost complete immobility.  I *will* find a way to work past or around this.

Since starting yoga, I have definitely become aware of my body.  For many years "I" was my mind so it's kind of weird to be aware - really aware of my body all of the time (posture, allignment of hips when sitting, etc.).  At least for me, I know, even though I haave a host of medical issues relating to my physical condition, I never before really felt a mind body connection; there was "me" and then there was my physical ailments.  I'm beginning to feel the integration...and it's freaking awesome!

Amy

Does shopping count as exercise??  LOL  Cause that is what I am doing today!! 

I did start going to the ab lab at my work.  It is fun and free and I feel the muscle ache the next day... who knew I still had abs?  I like yoga too, it really helps me streach out those muscles of mine that are freaked out by all this weight loss. 

Hey Alan - good idea!!  Helps to keep on track when you know others are doing it, too.  I was lurking on the Exercise & Fitness forum, but just seems like it's all about marathons and 5K and 10Ks and that's not the type of exercise I can relate to.  Especially coming off recent ankle surgery - I'm a long way from a long running mileage, heck I can't handle long walking mileage yet.

So, I go to the gym at least 4 days a week for weight training sessions with my personal trainer.  I also do 3-4 days of cardio - either at the gym on the treadmill, rowing machine, recumbent bike or elliptical (which seems to kick my butt harder than any of the other machines).  If I do cardio at home, it's my Tae-Bo Boot Camp DVD or my Hip Hop Abs DVD.  I have a Wii Fit, too, but haven't got all the equipment I need yet to do the My Fitness Coach (DH has been promising for 3 weeks to blow up my exercise ball with the air compressor). 

Really working on getting back some muscle since the fast weight loss wipes out muscle along with the fat and I'm a super-wimp now!  My trainer told me we'll take baby steps, kind of like going from Kindergarten to graduation from high school.  I told him I'd let him know when I thought the diapers were coming off and I was ready for pre-school!

Goals - get some muscle strength back, and tighten up the abs so hopefully won't need muscle repair when I get my LBL one day.

Current Success - made it through my last two whole training sessions without the trainer having to help me lift the weight (or even my own body) to finish my reps.  I did them all on my own - very slowly at the end, but just me, not him helping!!!  Yeah!!

It feels so good to finally be getting back to my exercise routine! Prior to surgery I was doing Zumba 3-4 times per week and Power Yoga 1-2 times per week for an hour each. Last week I started up with an hour of Power Yoga at my gym and today I did my first Zumba class since I had surgery... it was so much fun! I have missed the comraderie of my group fitness classes and it feels good to be back at my "home away from home." I was pretty fatigued after Zumba today, but I felt a lot better after I got hydrated. I've been drinking Special K protein water- iced tea flavor & 5g of protein!

Goals: Next week, 3 days a week of exercise, gradually building up to my 5x per week by Valentine's Day. I also need to use my personal training sessions to get a great weight training routine.

This is a great topic! Thanks for posting.

Right now - I am recovering.

One of the girls at work gave a 15 minute yoga class for free. She was trying out that evening to get a job (teaching an advanced yoga class) at a local health club. I was happy that I modified the workout so that I could do it. And it was only 15 minutes, Right?

That was Friday. I've been so stiff and sore! So gentle poses and movements only. Some muscle relaxants helped too. LOL.

Next weekend we are joining a gym. I need to get my heart into decent shape, then start lifting. Bought a new book that has six months of free weight and stability ball workouts. Sounds like a good one.