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Two cans is a large meal for me. I usually eat one and then maybe a cup of yogurt or some soup.
Also, it is much, much easier to prepare. I mean, me? Make a salad? I don't think so. And I ain't payin' six bucks for a salad.
In retrospect, the soup is probably more sodium-filled than the vegetables. But being that I eat about one can of each a day, I think I'm fine. The more I research about sodium, the more I think that everything in the world is filled with sodium.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Actually, the important thing about vegetables is how much starch they have. Green beans are low carb and you can eat 2 or 3 or 5 cans of those a meal and it's great. Don't cook them with tons of fat or anything, of course.
Corn, peas, lima beans, potatoes, and rice are high carb vegetables and don't count as veggies really but more like bread or pasta. They count as carbs.
The veggies that count as non-starchy-vegetables (NSVs) are green beans, cabbage, water chestnuts, tomatoes, carrots, squash, beets, zucchini, bell peppers including red orange yellow and green bell peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, bamboo shoots, lettuce, pickles, cucumber, spinach, collard greens, mushrooms, celery, and some more that I have forgotten since I don't eat them. All those count as free foods, provided you don't add fat or starch in cooking.
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...Hmm... I think I got some spinach, and I know I got some carrots. However, all the other ones seem to be vegetables that are used to cook with other things, almost like condiment vegetables, like the peppers, onions, mushrooms, and I suppose tomatoes, but I do occasionally eat tomato soup, but it's really more of a drink.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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JT: Thanks. The problem with not exercising is that I then can't sleep. I didn't get to sleep until 2:00 AM last night, and I was awake for several hours in the middle of the night the day before. My sleeplessness is directly correlated with exercise. I'd put up with it, but I'm not going to get all the way better if I don't get some decent sleep. I was thinking of walking for just 20 minutes right before bed tonight, and then taking NyQuil or some other sleepy OTC medicine just to make sure.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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My goal was to be able to do 4 miles a day by the end of the semester. Well... I just did three and it felt pretty easy. The only reason I stopped was because my ankles aren't strong enough for it right now and it felt like my achilles tendon was going to snap and roll up into my calf like a windowshade. I'm thinking I'll shoot for 7 miles. That'd be hardcore.
Down to 167 pounds. Increased bench rep to 165. Whooee.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I haven't been out jogging in a week. I'm still trying to find the balance between school and work, while still finding the time for cardio. Luckily I've managed to squeeze in a decent weight lifting routine.
I don't think I have the time to jog outdoors anymore however, but I think I can pull together a combined book reading for homework + fast walk or slow jog on the treadmill at home. Might not be as high impact, but it still burns the calories.
My goals remain: 5K (3.3 miles) is my end of semester goal. I'm currently just under 2 miles. The 10K (6.6 miles) is my end of school year goal. My weight lifting goals aren't specific, except I want to curl 150lbs. Currently I'm at 80lbs. So I have a ways to go. I'd also like clearly defined abs, but so far as I know, that means a lot of cardio and crunches, and there isn't much else you can do.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Okay, I did a big yard cleanup today, which I count as the equivalent of about 100 squats, yoga chair pose for a long time, and lots of raking which works your obliques mainly, I guess, plus back and abs some too. And it was good cardio, too, I think. I was breathing hard for over an hour.
Okay, I've been putting off making specific goals but I will do that now.
I plan to do yoga, pilates, and work out with my light dumbbells for an hour each morning when I wake up. I plan to do this for two weeks, then add some sort of cardio for an hour 3 times a week in the afternoons or evenings, running, rollerblading, elliptical trainer, bike riding, swimming, or jumping on the mini-trampoline. Then I plan to maintain that time commitment from now on, increasing distance and speed as my training progresses. Wish me luck! Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Well, my grand plan to run this week got scuttled. First, I got work during the day all week. My running buddy works evenings, till midnight. So, no one to run with. Then I got sick.
But, the kids I've been working with like to go for walks, so I figure I've done 0.8, 3, 0.8, and 5km walking Tues-Fri, respectively. So things could be worse.
And next week I'll be back at school and my roomie and I will start swimming again.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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As of now, all my exercise is on hold due to extreme back pain. I don't know how, but I pulled something the wrong way, and now everytime I turn my head to the left, my upper left back hurts like all hell.
"Well then don't turn it that way."
haha, yes I know.
Seriously though, anyone who has ever screwed your back up have any suggestions? Ice it? Warm it? Leave it alone and see what happens?
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Well, the past year has been bad to me. Too much time in the lab and slumming about and no exercise to speak of I guess. I have no idea how much I weigh, but I do know that some of my clothes no longer fit due to an extra bunch of inches on my waistline. I think my metabolism started to slow down without telling me. So, now the desperate push to get back in shape.
So, there's a swimming pool and skating rink right across the street from me, both of which I intend on using quite liberally. If I can't run in the winter I can sure as hell go skating. I'd like to start lifting (I've never been in a gym, but there's a first time for everything) but I'm a little concerned about all my old injuries. There will be some sort of a trainer there who can make sure I'm not going to be making things worse for myself, right?
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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If you've never lifted in your life, I'd skip the free weights for now. Use the machines, and if you're not sure how, ask someone. The machines limit your range of motion, which greatly reduces your chance of injury. But still, start slowly.
Yeah, definitely get a trainer for the first few weeks, till you develop a routine.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Most gyms will give you an orientation on the equipment for free, and have people on the floor to answer questions. But beyond that you'd probably have to hire a personal trainer, unless it's a really cool/expensive gym.
You don't have to hire a trainer for every session, though. . . you can meet with one to discuss your goals, tell her about your injuries and concerns, and she'll help you develop a workout routine that'll work for you. Then you do it on your own, maybe checking back in after a month and then after a few more to make sure your form is good and the exercises are still working for you.
It's certainly not something that's necessary. You could pick up a book or get information online and design your own program. But if you're just starting out lifting, it could be fun and quite helpful. And if you schedule the follow-up appointments well in advance, there's a bit of added motivation to stick with it. Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Avoid leg exercises for a while until your legs are competently strong. Squats and such can severely screw you over, and are probably not good for knees at all. I'd advise biking instead if you want leg exercise.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Even though I waited till 6:30 pm to go to the park (outdoor courts), I still lost about 7 pounds of water weight in a half hour. Outdoor sports in the south are a totally different animal.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I am sitting here not going downstairs and lifting. Watch me not go lift. I swore on my way home that I was going to lift tonight, since I did Thursday, and I have nothing else going on tonight.
I did walk/run Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, about 4 miles each, and go for a short bike ride last night, and I have a long one planned for tomorrow. But still, I gotta get started with the weights.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Lyrhawn, free weights are really easy to injure yourself with. When you're injured, you can ice it the first 24 hours, then use warmth after that. Lay off entirely doing anything that causes pain until it heals. It sets you back a lot when that happens, which sucks, but there's nothing for it, you have to lay off while it gets better.
Hot tubs or heating pads are good for injuries, as well as ace bandages in places that they fit, like hands, wrists, ankles, knees, etc. For upper back the only thing I would do is gentle paddling around in a swimming pool after it's well enough not to hurt acutely anymore. Yoga is also really good for strength and flexibility all over, which prevents injuries. Other than that, what happens is you learn not to do the things that injure you. Free weights are the world's worst, in my experience. Other things that prevent injury are warming up properly, and being careful not to push too hard. Just hard enough but not too hard.
Sorry you got hurt. Hope you get back on track soon.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Oh, and I made my goal this morning of 1 hour of dumbbells, yoga, and pilates. Tomorrow is an off day but Monday I'm going to do the same thing, increasing the intensity somewhat. I think I will go ahead and do another hour of gentle cardio training of some sort in the evening. Maybe a walk or slow jog. Wish me luck! Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I think I pushed too hard during my last work out. I've been using free weights off and on for a year and never had an injury. But I tried to do more reps than I was ready for a couple nights ago, I think that is what caused it.
How long should I wait before I get back into it?
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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If anyone is looking for a FUN cardio workout, I would totally suggest SPINNING (some places might call it indoor cycling). It is an awesome workout, you will leave the class soaked (I love sweating, it means your burning calories and fat).
I am so excited because I am going to get certified in October to be a spinning instructor. I cant wait to start teaching!
If anyone tries it let me know how it goes.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Jul 2005
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To add something to the thread: has anyone else tried out a rowing machine in the gym? It's a really fun way to do cardio, and I feel like I'm getting a pretty good full-body work out.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Gym buddies is a crucial system for health maintenance. That way if you don't feel like going, there's someone right there to call you a wuss.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Well I have 3 hours of football practice a day and 1 hour of personal training wrestling practice every Saturday and come October I'll have 2 1/2 hours of Wrestling practice 6 days a week.
Posts: 163 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Okay, I'm doing one hour of dumbbells, yoga, and pilates a day, gradually increasing in intensity. Still haven't started cardio yet, but yesterday I carried 200 lbs of cat litter in 25 lb bags making 8 trips between the car and the house, a little mini-cardio workout, in preparation.
I find this thread to be very motivating. Does anyone else? Something about making public goals, and also seeing how much others are doing, inspires me. It helps to get me going on days that I don't really feel like exercising, you know?
I'm trying to come up with a good cardio exercise that isn't hard on my feet. I have to baby my feet because of my diabetes. They have poor circulation and all my favorite cardio exercises (running, rollerblading, bicycling, elliptical trainer, minitrampoline, etc.) make them hurt and seem as though they're causing them harm. I really like having feet and want to try to make them last as long as possible. The only thing I can think of that feels good to them is swimming, but that has other disadvantages (you have to shower afterwards and wash hair, the chlorine is bad for your skin and hair, it requires bathing suits, goggles, frequent laundry for suits and towels, etc.) that make it impractical for me.
I looked at spinning at my gym but they play horrible classic rock during spinning class. I can't abide classic rock. I think I'd rather go cycling outside.
If anyone can think of any cardio training that doesn't require your feet to do most of the work, please let me know. I can't think of anything besides swimming.
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Tatiana: Maybe a rowing machine? Those are mostly legs and arms and back, I think. Your feet stay planted.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Banna is my gym buddy. When she called yesterday, I was torn between going to the gym to do cardio for the first time in two days, or else going to Barnes and Noble and getting a piece of marble chocolate cheesecake. She talked me into going to the gym, and by the time I was done I was so tired and icky sweaty I just wanted to go home to take a shower and collapse.
I should have had something to eat after, though - I dreamed about food all last night. I was staying at a fancy hotel on the beach in California where hundreds of dolphins would do a chorus line dance in the water that reached all the way to the bank of windows on one side of the ballroom. Instead of going to the event, I stayed behind in the dinner room and ate all the goodies laid out. It was seriously a food festival - brisket and mashed potatoes and red beans and rice and some wonderful, delicious poppy seed bread that I had five pieces of. I woke myself up because I was starting to worry about how much I was eating. I'm not going to go to bed hungry anymore - time for a mini-bagel or something.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Tatiana: There's also stationary cycling that's not a spinning class. Bring your own music.
And I swam competitively for ten years and never really noticed a negative impact on my hair or skin. Of course, I'm a guy, without particularly sensitive hair or skin, so maybe that means nothing.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Rowing machine might be worth trying. Elliptical trainer is low impact but by the time I've done an hour on the trainer, my feet are often totally numb. I just can't afford to damage them further. I really don't want any amputations. But with a rowing machine, your body weight is mainly supported on your glutes, so hopefully that would be easier on the feet.
Spinning class at home is another good idea. I could get or make a stand to hold the back wheel of my bike off the ground. I love cycling but don't love riding on the street. There's one 6 mile course nearby that I can do. Every time I go, I bump the inside of my shin against the side of the bike, though, bruising it. I haven't figured out how to make this stop happening, if there are cycling shin guards or something. This situation also is unacceptable for routine workouts, because things on my shins don't heal well, and will eventually risk ulcers and gangrene.
Looks like swimming may be worth another try. Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Today I started swimming, and it was hard because I didn't have any goggles and I a) can't open my eyes under water and b) was wearing my contacts. So today I also bought goggles. Tomorrow I am going to go swimming again.
Today was a very hard 500y warm-up, mostly of head-up breaststroke, which messed up my bad knee, then 15 min treading water (not really a workout for me), then 400y kicking, and another 100y cool-down. By next week I will work out a training schedule (butterfly, kicking, deep-water running, all the things that are harder for me) and hopefully will be up to 1500y a session.
Oh, and the walk to school is 30 min.
Ohhh, it's good to be back.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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My back feels better now. I gave it an extra day after the pain went away to be sure, and I'm going to add additional stretches to my exercises as a safeguard. I think the problem last time was trying to life too much weight, and not my range of motion. So, tomorrow I'm going to start my regimen over again.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I've kinda stopped running... But that's only because I played beach-volley quite often recently! Fun! The weather doesn't seem to let us play anymore, though, so I'll be back to running soon.
Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I am pleased to report progress, with now two further weeks of swimming four times a week, generally 1500y. I also signed up for the Mathletics water polo team (my mathie roommate talked me into it). Still walking to school most days. And I might try to work in some weights, since Roomie #2 has to work out a training course for herself for one of her classes.
Weirdly, I am not as tired this term as I was last. Like, I can make it through the day without desperately desiring a nap. Okay, I still want one, but I don't have time for them. So I'm tired, but I am still doing well, which is remarkable.
Odd. Someone give me a nice, medical-sounding reason why despite the sudden increase in physical effort I am not falling apart in exhaustion?
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Combination of endorphins and adrenaline maybe? And good job on your progress! Just a couple weeks ago you said you wanted to get to 1500y per session, and you have, that's great!
As for a progress report of my own. After several weeks of not doing a whole lot, I got back on track today. I've switched from outdoor running to using the treadmill at my house, just makes it easier to manage my time when I can jog while reading, or while watching taped television programs I wouldn't otherwise have time for. My week goal is to solidify a good 2 mile jog without feeling like I will die at the end, and to add 5 lbs to my bar curl, making it 85lbs. My secondary goal is to try and get more crunches in, in an attempt to achieve my spring time goal of having defined abs.
In a calorie reduction achievement, I switched from regular to diet Pepsi. And considering how much Pepsi I drink (or used to drink) on a daily basis, I think I cut a good 300 or 400 calories from my average daily diet.
Raia and Jhai, how's your gym buddy thing working out? (exercise pun, hahahahah!!!)
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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It's working really well, for the most part... except we've both been a bit sick, and not at the same time, so we haven't been going as regularly as we'd like. But hopefully now that we feel better, that will change.
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I now know why Europeans are skinny, despite the pan de chacolat for breakfast. They walk EVERYWHERE.
I came home from my trip the same weight I was when I left, but that's slightly amazing the sheer amount of yummy, fattening food I ate the whole week. We walked at least five miles a day, everday. That just has to be why.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I met a friend from Netherlands in LA and he insisted on taking the bus everywhere... Anyone ever ride an LA bus???
And yesterday I went to the gym. So that makes 2 times in a week! I might be making this a habit again. And it rained today, so I couldn't go rollerblading.. Posts: 1209 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Didn't get a chance to jog in the last week, still meaning to get on it, but things always seem to come up. I want to fix that soon and make sure I at least get a little bit of cardio in every week.
On a positive note, I've moved from 80lbs to 85lbs on my bar curl, and have found it an easy transition, so I feel good about that.
I've also added in push ups every other day, since I don't have the room or equipment in my house to do any sort of chest exercises, and I'm glad to be sore today, because it means I was doing something right yesterday.
My main goal for the week is to try and hit the treadmill at least twice.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I went to the gym tonight. I did 20 minutes on the elliptical, the ab machine, sit ups, the rowing machine, and various stretches. Then I went back to my room and took a shower.
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I'm going to work out right now. I'm using this thread for accountability. If I don't post in the next two hours upon my return from the gym I expect to be chastised and called girly names.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I'd put up with it, but I'm not going to get all the way better if I don't get some decent sleep. I was thinking of walking for just 20 minutes right before bed tonight, and then taking NyQuil or some other sleepy OTC medicine just to make sure.
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