The Jetsons

Well, we had our first session with the trainer.  The hubby and I had thought that we would be on different teams, but we changed our minds. I'm glad we did.  It was fun working out together.  This morning we met at 8:00 a.m. with the trainer and the other two members of our team.  We seem to be matched up fairly well.  All four of us are in our 50's.  Hubby and I have been in training for these training sessions for several weeks, but our team mates haven't worked out in a while.  Chelsea (our trainer) started us out on the treadmill at an incline of 10 and speed of 2.5.  We did this for six minutes, then lowered the incline and speed for two minutes.  For the last three minutes we went back up to 10 and 2.5.   We then went directly to the elliptical machines and did a similar routine.  This was the first time I had done the elliptical in about three months.  The last time I tried, my knee hurt and I couldn't stay on it at all.  Today...no problem.  I was into it.  Quite honestly, it felt pretty good to not be as challenged as I would have been without being in "training-for-training".  Now this is not to say that I didn't sweat like....like.... well, like something that sweats a bunch.  Because I did. 

Of course, we did some strengthening exercises.  We tossed a six pound medicine ball back and forth twenty times and then we took a giant step back and tossed it to each other twenty more times. We sat down on mats and did sit ups by facing each other, and alternately holding the medicine ball in our hands, sitting up and tossing it to our partner, then they did the same.  So we sat up and tossed to each other for twenty times each.  She also had us put our plump little legs in the air and make an attempt at doing some leg raising crunches.  We all made it through all of this.

At some point she had us do biceps curls and punches with hand weights.  I chose five pounders and toward the end of the second set of 20 reps, of the third routine...I was quite winded.  We did stretches and cool downs and survived.

Back when we were on the elliptical, Chelsea asked if we wanted to participate in the physical challenges that are part of the program.  We decided we did, but we needed a name in order to sign up, so I suggested The Jetsons.  I wanted us to have a team name that was a bit silly, so the other teams wouldn't think we were a threat.  Hopefully, at the end of the program we will be zooming around that gym just like something from the space age. 

Well, that's it for our first training session.  When we weighed in last week, I was 196 pounds.  Our weigh in's will be on Thursdays and even though she hasn't fixed us up with an eating plan, I'm hoping to have dropped a pound or two.

I'll keep you posted.  Gots to go.  Whew, I'm tarred.

Let's get moving!

Just a quick post to say that Monday evening is our first weigh in and such for the weight loss competition. I have been doing lots of cardio and weights at the gym and moving whenever I can to "get ready" for this event.  I don't want to be one of those whiny babies that says "I just can't".  As part of our plan, we even went bowling Friday morning after the gym.



Here I am tying up my 48 year old bowling shoes that belonged to my mom.  Yes, we come from a family of bowlers.

And here I am getting ready to get ready to roll.  This picture reminds me of the whispers I heard when I was a little girl.  "Oh, look at her.  What a shame, she has such a pretty face."  I know I'm not the only one that heard these things as a child. Did they think I couldn't hear them, or that I wouldn't be hurt by this?   Another favorite around our house was "she's not fat, she's just solid."  Right...solid fat.  From the second grade on, I was a chubby little girl and my sister and brother were underweight and fairly normal, in that order.  I had various years of a normal sized body, but not that many.  In any event, I will admit that I still have good hair and skin and one might say I still have that "pretty face".  But it is certainly obvious that I can't hide 197 pounds behind a ten pound bowling ball, so I am actually going to lose weight this year.  I would love to lose 50 pounds or more eventually, but right now my goal is 30 pounds.  There is a big (pardon the pun) part of me that just knows that I cannot do it.  I've tried so many times since Mother Nature sent me my mini-paws.  It's just too hard. I know it won't work.  But I have to muzzle that little voice and keep on trying.  I will not stop trying to shed these excess pounds.  Just between you and me, I actually do have a secret goal.  My hubby doesn't usually read this blog and I know my sister won't squeal on me...I want muscles.  You know, those bigger kind that the ladies that lift weight get.  I know it's silly, but I think it would be so cool to actually have muscles that were visible and weren't covered by layers and layers of fat.  It sounds ridiculous when I see it typed out like this, so I guess I'll just settle for "getting stronger", but I would love to wear sleeveless tops again and not have the batwings flapping around when I raise my arm.  Probably realistically, at my age (58) this is a physical impossibility, but there has to be some in-between that I can reach.  Whatever it ends up being, I'm going for it. 

I hope you will join me in my quest for a healthier body.  I think that together...we can do it.

I'll keep you posted, so remember to stay tuned!

Only one more week...

Just a quick post to let my friends know that it's just one more week until my hubby and I start the weight loss competition at our fitness center.  And yes, we have been quietly sneaking in foods that cause us to binge a bit.  For me, it's sugar.  If I start out the day with a sugary breakfast, then I want soda and candy and cobbler and anything sweet the entire day.  For hubs,  his sugar habit is a bit different than mine. His is candy.  If he eats one Reese cup, he wants an entire 4-pak and then two packs of Twix and then he wants to top it off with a Hershey bar.  At one sitting.  So that thing of limiting your sugary treats doesn't really work for us.  We will (at least I am) going to go off sugar completely.  I will also limit my "white" foods. You know the pastas, and rice and breads that have been so refined that we hardly need to chew them.  I may have mentioned in the past a book called "The No Flour, No Sugar Diet" by Dr. Peter Gott.  It may be a bit too much for some folks, but it really does have some great ideas in it.

So, for the next week I'll be consuming and then saying bye bye to some of the foods that I know will trip me up.

This weekend, on my other blog I wrote about some of our self-inposed rules that you may find interesting.  Even though it usually is an art blog, this post isn't art related and I'd like to invite you over to see my take on some of those little rules that may have us stumped.  So just click here and you will be redirected to my "A Walk In The Park" blog.

I do hope everyone has had a great weekend.  Stay safe and get ready for a new week!

It's a new year to be sure

Yes, it's a new year and my hubby and I are going to be losing some weight for real this time.  I have been going to the gym for several months now, walking, using machines and doing Zumba Gold.  Today hubs went with me, signed up for the program and got in a bit of exercise himself, whilst I was huffing and puffing to the music.  He walked the track, used the weight machines and shot a few hoops.  Wonder if he'll be sore tomorrow?  We will see.

Well, I hope everyone had great holdays and stayed safe and happy.  I hope to be a bit better about updating this blog in 2011 and I just know it will be full of positive information about us losing tons of weight.  Feel free to join me if you'd like.  I want to lose 20-25 pounds by May and I really think this will be the year I lose.  If not, I just may have to change the name of the blogs.

Well, that's it for now.  Enjoy the first week of the new year and don't forget to .....  get moving!

Where, Oh Where Can She Be?

I'm still kickin', as we say Down South.  I have been going to the fitness center five days a week.  Doing Zumba Gold three times weekly and then using the recumbent bicycle and cross trainer machine on the other two days.  I think I mentioned that a weight loss challenge similar to Biggest Loser is offered at the center.  The hubs and I are going to sign up for the next one that starts January 24th.  I am basically trying to get myself in better shape for the challenge. 

So, I'll bet you are thinking, "that Susan, I'm so jealous of her...she must be losing weight like crazy".  Ahhhh, right...no, I still haven't lost a single pound.  I haven't lost any inches yet.  I find this so bizarre.  I am really being diligent about my workouts, but while I'm not going crazy on holiday foods, I'm not "dieting" as we know it.  I'd like to say that I'm saving that for the challenge, but I doubt you would actually believe that.  My point being, even though neither the scales nor the measuring tape has changed, I feel different.  I think I might even look smaller in the mirror.  I really think that something is happening under these massive layers of skin and tissue that cover my muscles.  Yep, I really think that those muscles are changing, so I am beginning to realize that I may need to reevaluate my goals.  While I really do want to lose weight and I really want to be smaller, I have to say that my main goal is to get stronger.  My sister and I were discussing last night, the fact that something as simple as opening a jar is much harder now than when we were whipper snappers.  So, I'm thinking that my long term goal will be strength.  I want to be strong enough to open jars, and fling up windows.  Strong enough to go up the steps without relying on the handrail.  It's good to be careful and use that handrail when I need it, but I don't want to depend on it any more. Strong enough to lift my large boxes of art supplies or containers of beads without saying a silent prayer that I won't drop something and knock myself in the noggin.

So here goes, my long term goal is to be as strong as I can be by 2012.  That's the year I go into my next chronological decade. That's all I'm saying about that, but you get my drift.  Anyway, I want to be strong.  I want to be able.  I want to be capable.  And if it means making changes in my lifestyle, well that's what I'm going to do.  I don't like to exercise, but I don't like being a roly-poly Weeble, either.  Now don't get me wrong, I love Weebles. We all love Weebles. After all, Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down.  They are cute and fun to have around, and while their body shape is good for them, it's just not for me.

So that's it from snow covered Virginia.  We're healthy, happy and awaiting a new year.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  And speaking of Merry Christmas, here is a little one that will be experiencing his first Christmas this year and he is a doll baby to be sure.

So as a fun gift to them, how about you stop by and see Aaron and his Mommy at her blog, and tell them Auntie Susan sent you!  So if I don't post before Christmas, Merry Christmas to All and to All A Good Night!

Happy Thanksgiving

It's almost Thanksgiving here in the States and while I am prayerfully thankful all year long, this holiday does make us stop and think of how blessed we are with the family, friends and talents that we have.

For years, I went all out with the traditional Thanksgiving meal.  Then several years ago, my hubby asked if my feelings would be hurt if we didn't go with the huge bird.  He sheepishly admitted that he really didn't care for all the left overs but knew how much I liked to cook and didn't want to hurt my feelings.  Since then we have had various things for Thanksgiving, but finally settled on, of all things...Hungry Man Dinners.  He loves them.  They are made by Swanson, the original frozen food folks.  I add some extra instant mashed potatoes and gravy from a jar and a can of jellied cranberry sauce.  Hmmm, are you seeing a pattern here?  Nothing made from scratch.  My hubby is a simple guy and gourmet food is just not his thing.  I love to cook and usually feed him plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, fish and chicken.  But when Thanksgiving comes around, he's anxious to have his TV dinner, knowing that he wont have to eat any left overs except pumpkin pie, which is going to be a pop-in-the oven and bake treat.

So Thursday's dinner is all planned.  This is just Tuesday, what to do until then?  How about hitting the gym?  I have been going to three Zumba classes a week and getting a real workout.  On the other days I'm pedaling away on a recumbant bicycle and sometimes the recumbant stepper.  I round it out with 30 minutes on the indoor track.  In January, I am going to embark on our health club's version of The Biggest Loser.  We will meet with a trainer twice a week for fifteen weeks.  Fitness, nutrition, trips to the store, weigh ins and the like are included.  Under normal circumstances 30 individual sessions with the trainer would be around $1200.00.  This program is only $200.00 so I am psyched to be getting such a deal, and the trainer is my Zumba coach instructor and I really like her.

I mentioned previously that I was going to a hoopercise class.  I only lasted 15 minutes, the warm up was too much for me.  I'm just not ready for an intense core workout.  If you are in better shape than me,  and you want to work your core, then the hooping just might be for you.  It never hurts to try.

Well, that's it for me for a while.  Hope everyone is staying healthy and happy.  Please be careful during the holidays, especially if you are travelling.

Enjoy life and remember to be Thankful.

It's going quite well....

Wow, I mentioned last time that I had signed up for the gym membership.  Already I have had a blast.  I did Zumba Gold three times this week, swam once and used the bike and treadmill already.  I am not even the slowest person there, as I thought I would be, so it's not intimidating.  It was mentioned to me that this is a family gym and for the most part, the....let us say "overachievers" usually go to Gold's gym and places where weight training is the main focus.  While I look forward to getting to the point of weight training, right now I am enjoying the group classes. 

Zumba Gold  is designed for participants with very little experience exercise (real exercise beginners, so to speak), individuals that have physical limitations or inactive older adults. The system was created to be easier than the basic Zumba (which is very high energy) but just as much fun. The moves have been carefully designed to be easy to follow by individuals of any size or age. In some instances, there are even routines that can be done in a chair or a wheelchair.  Well, don't get me wrong, this is a workout to be sure.  The first time I did it, was also the first time actually teaching it for our instructor, so it took a bit longer than usual, and since I was the only one that showed up for the class, she was quite mindful of my current physical condition. It was like a private session and even though I was quite hot and red faced when we were done, I knew I could do it.  Each class since then has gotten easier to do.  I'm a bit sore, but it feels good to know that exercise is the reason.

Next week they start hoopercize, which I'm pretty sure involves a hula hoop.  I used to be able to hula hoop a little bit, so we'll see how that goes.

So that's it for now.  I hope everyone is feeling good and trying to take care of themselves.  If not, step back, or sit down...and ask yourself why?