Fourty-something Group Group

A RANDOM POSTERS BLOG, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING AND WANTED TO SHARE...

posted by FATKEVIN42 on 8:32 am

Week of 6/04/2009 - Featured Board Post












SEIGE718









Tomorrow No Longer Exists For Me

My motivation has always come in waves. One month I'm completely dedicated to my health and the health of people around me. I live the way I've always wanted to live: wake up early, take the dogs for a walk, come home and make a healthy breakfast, do some chores around the house, make a nutritious lunch, play with my dogs, etc. It's those times when I'm at my best.

Then the wave ends and I'm suddenly dragging out of bed late in the morning, I drag myself to the kitchen and make the quickest, least nutritious, biggest breakfast I can come up with. I take my plate to the couch and eat everything (plus seconds) while watching TV. In a fried egg coma, I remain on the couch for most of the day and most of the night, sometimes not even getting up to shower! At the back of my mind I ask myself, is this how I want to spend the rest of my life? Unfortunately, when I'm deep in my fried egg coma, the answer is always a cop-out: I just have to deal with my guilt until the "healthy" wave picks me up again so I can ride it for as long as it will carry me. Of course, the healthy wave usually lasts about a month, tops, while my unhealthy wave lasts 3 months to a year!

This past weekend I got to thinking about my "healthy wave" and I suddenly realized that everything I did when I was soaring on my healthy wave was due to an obsession with the future. I would spend so much time thinking and planning for the future that I became overwhelmed by my own thoughts and eventually I would get to a point where I'd just tell myself ENOUGH! And I'd quit.

So I woke up Monday morning and decided that I would stop living in the future and start living TODAY! Yesterday was the first time I told myself this mantra. Yesterday was the first time I actually understood it, believed it and practiced it. TODAY I will make the best decisions I can make with what I eat and how I workout. Tomorrow's motivation is irrelevant. Tomorrow's motivation doesn't exist. It's all about TODAY.

try it?

posted by FATKEVIN42 on 8:23 am

Shorter Workouts Help Build Consistency

Most experts recommend that you exercise up to 90 minutes most days of the week, emphasizing that you gradually work your way up to that duration. However, a recent study conducted at Boston Sports Clubs found that participants who exercised for 20-30 minutes did so more consistently than those involved in 45-60 minute workout sessions. This study shows that you're more likely to stick to a shorter duration workout than a longer one.

Action Sparked: If you and your family members are having trouble staying consistent with exercise, try a shorter workout session. Tell yourself that you'll exercise for 10 or 15 minutes, and follow through with it. Of course 10 minutes of exercise is better than totally skipping a workout. But, once you've hit that small goal (whether it's 5, 10, or 20 minutes), ask yourself if you could keep going. You may find that planning on a short workout is enough to get everyone to the gym (or park, trail, etc.), and once you're there, you can do a lot more than you thought.

Feel Great!

posted by jettgirl on 8:02 am

Put a Fresh Face Forward!
Your face endures a lot — from wind and cold weather to pollution and the sun — every day! That's why it's so important to take care of your face now, before it's too late. You should gently cleanse your skin every day and use a daily moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. In addition, why not consider splurging on the occasional facial? Besides deep-cleaning your skin, facials are incredibly relaxing. After an hour, your face will glow, you'll feel super mellow, and you'll definitely want to make your next appointment!
You can also create a spalike experience at home by donning your bathrobe, dimming the lights, and burning an aromatherapy candle while you cleanse your face with an over-the-counter deep cleanser, a purifying mask, or an exfoliating scrub. Apply a warm towel to your face when you're done, then smooth a light, vitamin-rich moisturizer onto your clean, dry skin. Then say, Ahhhhh!
 

Good morning Family!

posted by FATKEVIN42 on 8:53 am

Happy Hump Day!

Eat Right!

posted by jettgirl on 6:04 am

Get Your Superfoods!
Looking for a way to get even more bang for your nutritional buck? Try these "superfoods"! They're loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help you feel great, and they even help fight disease! Incorporate them into your diet today!

Almonds: A source of "good" fat, almonds can help your heart by lowering bad cholesterol!
Berries: They're jammed with vitamins — particularly vitamin C — but new research has found these sweet little sensations to be ace disease fighters too, helping to prevent bladder infections and even cancers, among other illnesses.
Broccoli: Folate, vitamin C, calcium — broccoli is packed with all these awesome nutrients. Now researchers think it might also fight cancer!
Avocado: The large number of calories in a serving of avocado is totally worth it! This source of healthy fat contains a ton of vitamin K and potassium and is also associated with lower cholesterol and even the prevention of breast cancer!
Salmon: Low in calories, easy to prepare, and amazingly good for you — what's not to love about salmon? And the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are great for your heart!
Olive oil: Another good fat! Besides making your food incredibly tasty, olive oil can also protect you from heart disease.
Green tea: So much research has touted the benefits of green tea, it's hard to know where to begin! But here's a sample: A Japanese study in 2006 showed that green tea lowered the risk of death from all causes. How's that for a superfood?

YOUR METABOLISM 101

posted by jettgirl on 10:44 am

  Don't Blame Being Overweight on Your Age If you've been blaming your belly fat on the fact that you're growing older, now's the time to stop believing that weight gain is an inevitable part of aging! Yes, as we get older our hormone balance shifts in ways that encourage weight gain. For example, testosterone and DHEA levels decline in men, and women's insulin-regulating hormones become less effective. These changes can decrease muscle mass and energy while increasing belly fat and insulin resistance. But there's no reason we can't stay healthy and keep our hormones balanced as we age. Ongoing research suggests that age-related muscle decline is largely under our control. The more we eat clean, live clean, and work out, the better our hormone balance will be, and the healthier our metabolisms will remain.
 
I can't tell you how many people just let exercise slide as they get older; then they turn around and blame their lagging metabolism on their hormones. I'll be honest — I don't like to exercise. But the reality is, we have to do it. Your body needs exercise the way it needs oxygen and water. It's crucial to maintain muscle mass as you age: A pound of muscle burns three times more calories than a pound of fat does, and muscles scoop up blood sugar and enhance your body's insulin sensitivity.
 
As for optimizing your hormone balance, the best way to do it is naturally. Nature has provided us with the cure for a lagging metabolism — we just neglect it! We have amazing whole foods that not only help us balance our hormones but also fight cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. So what do we do? We spray them with pesticides and other chemicals, turning our natural medicine into poison. We have to reclaim these whole foods and fight back against the many ways our hormones are under assault every day. Don't wait until you're blowing out 50 or 60 candles on your birthday cake — fight for that healthier lifestyle now!  

Fitness Flash

posted by jettgirl on 10:41 am

Are You Committing a Fitness Faux Pas?
Are you sabotaging your own fitness agenda? Lots of people make certain mistakes when working out. Learn how to avoid these exercise pitfalls — your workouts will be safer and more effective! Here are six common workout problems — are you guilty? — along with solutions.

Working out while tired: Not getting enough rest can lead to sloppy technique and an injury (not to mention crabbiness!). Get your rest the night before, or take a power nap right before exercising.
Forgetting to warm up: Skipping a warm-up can lead to injury. It's best to warm up with dynamic stretches — moving stretches — and/or light cardio for about five minutes — your body will thank you later!
Using momentum to lift weights: If you jerk your motions, you're not working your muscles and you could hurt yourself. Make sure your movements are slow and controlled — when you lift and when you lower weights.
Leaning on the handrails of the stair-climber, elliptical trainer, or treadmill: This weakens the effect of your workout and can even injure your wrists and back. Instead, stand up tall and lightly hold the handrails for balance.
Locking your knees: Always keep your knees slightly bent to prevent an injury.
Getting stuck in a workout rut: Bordeom leads to quitting! Keep things fresh and interesting — change up your routine!

 

Hi Guys...

posted by FATKEVIN42 on 8:20 am

Sorry I have been so hit and miss lately, a lot going on in my life...It seems to have stabilized so I should be a regular around here again! I missed you guys! :)

Log It to Lose It!

posted by jettgirl on 10:50 am

Good Morning ALL!

posted by jettgirl on 5:21 am

How was everyones weekend?

Simple Steps - OR Baby Steps

posted by jettgirl on 1:38 pm

Don't Go It Alone!
I know it's tough to revamp your eating habits, start an exercise plan, and improve your overall lifestyle! These are big changes we're talking about, and you could probably use more support and encouragement. You know I'm always here for you — but the more support you can get, the better!
Research has shown that people who have support are the most successful at diet and exercise programs. Plus, when you make a commitment to improve your lifestyle along with someone else — a close friend, your significant other, a child — you're more likely to stick with it. It's not just about you anymore — someone else is counting on you! So ask your neighbor to commit to walking together for 30 minutes three times a week, or plan to cook healthy meals each weekend with your spouse or kids. Sign up for a sports team or a dance troupe — you'll have to come to practice and put your best foot forward because the whole team is counting on you!
Look online for support as well. If you have a close friend whose schedule is not similar to yours (so you can never chat by phone), e-mail him or her for support and encouragement. There are great motivational Web sites where people who have been successful at losing weight and improving their lifestyles share their inspiring stories. Members can even sign on and visit the Message Boards to chat with other members and find weight-loss buddies who are facing similar challenges.
How you go about finding that extra support doesn't matter — as long as you do it. C'mon, start building that support group today. There's no time to waste!
 
 

TGIF

posted by jettgirl on 12:36 pm

Hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys themselves!
I plan too!

Hi gang

posted by FATKEVIN42 on 7:04 am

I am back from vacation and trying to get back in my normal routine...I missed you guys...
Whats new, what have I missed?

Get Intense

posted by jettgirl on 6:04 am

Ever notice the color-coded exercise "zones" listed on cardio machines? There's a "fat burning" zone, an "endurance training" zone, and so forth. The colors look nice, but how many times have you chosen the "fat burning" zone and watched as your fat stayed put? That's because fat-burning programs keep you at a lower intensity level, when to lose weight you really need to burn big calories. That only happens when you exercise at a higher-intensity level.
Let's look at the math. In a half hour of low-intensity exercise, you might burn 100 calories. Of those 100 calories, roughly 80 percent will be fat calories, meaning that you've burned 80 fat calories. In a half hour of high-intensity exercise, you might burn 300 calories. Of those 300 calories, roughly 33 percent will be fat calories, meaning that you've burned around 100 fat calories.
Get it? Even though the percentage of fat calories burned is higher during a low-intensity workout, you're burning so many more total calories during a high-intensity workout that, percentages aside, you are still burning more fat calories — not to mention the 200 additional carb calories.

After all those calories that I had yesterday! I need to Get Intense tonight at the gym! 
 

Eat Right!

posted by jettgirl on 5:54 am

Hello, Carbs! Who hasn't been tempted by no-carb diets? They seem to work, and they yield results quickly. But what about those of us who can't part with fresh-baked bread or steaming rice? I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to give up all that good, nutritious food that quickly! Plus, breads and cereals can add important fiber to your diet and give you energy to keep going! We all need those benefits! I've learned that you can eat carbs and still lose weight. You just need to make good choices and watch your portion sizes. Here are some seriously healthy carbs for you to experiment with:  
 

Whole-grain bread
Whole-grain or legume-based pasta
Whole-grain cereal
Barley
Quinoa
Brown and wild rice
Oatmeal
Popcorn
Sprouted grains

Good Morning

posted by jettgirl on 6:04 am

Yes it is not Monday, today is Tuesday and the 3 day weekend is over. For some it was a 5 day weekend! So up and at'em! What are your plans for this week? Are you going to work out? Are you going to work in the yard? Are you going to do laps in your pool? Just remember if you eat right and stay active this will help you in the long run. Just remember your not getting younger! And more and more people are turning 40 and it is harder to get fit in your 50's. So the time is right now!
 
After working out this past week I have been soarer than I have ever been in my life. BUT, starting to see the transformation. Clothes are not so tight and have more energy! And its only been a week! Can not wait to see what the next 3 weeks will bring!

Monday

posted by jettgirl on 5:07 pm

Even though it is Monday, we you me need o eat right!!!!
Went to a BBQ today drank and few to much byt ate good!!!
And you, what did  you all do today as far as doing good? Even if you didnt there always tomorrow!!

TGIF

posted by jettgirl on 5:53 am

Happy Memorial Day, Just in case I dont get a chance to get on over the weekend. My computer at home is crappy! I know Kevin is on his get away vacation! Have fun SM! And I will be at the gym tonight, Nick (PT) worked on my arms last night. I really think he will take me to my limits tonight! Then home and get the house ready for a BBQ!!! On Saturday.
My loving son sprung a "watch my son so I can go to a wedding" at the spare of the moment Saturday! So no drinking heavily for me :( Maybe thats a good thing? So I will have my new found love of my life Sat. untill Sunday morning. Then I will go help my daughter paint her house for a while. Maybe get the bikes out and go for a ride! I tried to ride it to work this morning. But dead battery....
Monday we are invited to my daughters house for a BBQ. Hopefully I can find something good to eat? They are smoking chicken so thats not to bad!   Whats everyones else's plans?

Try these the are awsome!

posted by jettgirl on 5:43 am

Get Strong by Squatting
If you're new to exercise, working out can be intimidating. The trick is to begin with exercises you can build on. Let's start with the legs. After all, they help support our bodies in the most basic of activities — standing and walking! Try wall squats, the building block of all squat variations. Here's how to get started right now.
Wall Squat
Stand with your back about 1 1/2 feet from a wall, feet hip-width apart, your weight on your heels. Lean back until your shoulders and upper back touch the wall. Now slowly lower yourself (as if you were going to sit on a chair) until your thighs are parallel with the floor and your legs form a 90-degree angle. In the seated position, your back — from the shoulder blades to the lower rib cage — should rest lightly against the wall. Hold this position for as long as you can, stand back up, and repeat.
When you've mastered the form, kick it up a notch by adding resistance with hand weights. Once you've developed quad, glute, and hamstring strength with this beginner move, you'll be ready to tackle more advanced leg exercises.
 

Stress Got Your Metabolism Down?

posted by jettgirl on 10:29 am

WOW did not know this!!!
I'm sure you've heard of the fight-or-flight response, and you probably know that it's the way your body reacts to danger or stress. But do you know what the fight-or-flight response is? You guessed it: It has to do with hormones.
When you're faced with a danger, your adrenal glands release three hormones: norepinephrine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and cortisol. Norepinephrine and epinephrine cause several changes to help you survive the danger, including a pause in insulin release so you have lots of blood sugar available for energy, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and a suspension of your appetite. After the danger has passed, cortisol tells the body to stop producing norepinephrine and epinephrine and stimulates your appetite again.
This response evolved to help people deal with short-term survival situations, like an attack by a predator. The trouble is, it occurs in response to all stressors, including the deadlines pummeling you at work and the traffic that drives you crazy. When stress is always present, your body can't get rid of the excess cortisol built up in the blood. That cortisol just hangs around, causing lots of trouble: It turns young fat cells into mature fat cells that stick with you forever, and increases your cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods.
When you give in to those cravings, your body releases a cascade of rewarding brain chemicals that can set up an addictive relationship with food — you stress, you eat. If you don't consciously control the pattern, you can become physically and psychologically dependent on that release to manage stress. In fact, people who self-medicate with food tend have hair-trigger epinephrine reactions and chronic high levels of cortisol.
You can help yourself keep cortisol in check by limiting caffeine intake to 200 milligrams a day; avoiding simple carbs, processed foods, and refined grains; and getting plenty of high-quality protein. It's also crucial that you find stress-relief techniques that work for you. If you can tame your stress response and lower cortisol levels, you'll have a much easier time losing weight.
 

What have you done lately?

posted by jettgirl on 10:22 am

I walked a total 45 minutes today! And you?

New Exercise

posted by Bess222 on 6:42 pm

At the gym today I tried the elipitical/cross trainer thingee...I did it for 15 minutes at a pretty easy pace but burned 125 calories..yipee. I then did the treadmill for 30 minutes with 5 percent incline..another 125 calories gone!!!  Treated myself to a minicure at the beauty school next to my gym...it was very cheap  but the woman did a really nice job...in today's economy cheap is the way to go!!

What did you do?

posted by jettgirl on 7:52 am

I walked during my morning break, what did you do?
I am going to lunch with a good friend so no walking at lunch fo rme!!!

Good Morning

posted by jettgirl on 6:14 am

Hi all, for the newbie’s, I am 47 years old and I normally say young. But after the workout yesterday I am feeling really old today, this too shall pass.
I am a grandmother of 3 beautiful children, and a mother of 2 wonderful kids. I have been on TDP for over a year. I have had my ups and downs. If it wasn’t for the people in this group I would have given up a long time ago! I appreciate every one of you all. I have seen people come and go in this group. You will notice the committed once they post more than the silent ones. I do believe and the grace of God, and he has blessed me in so many ways with this group. I have made new acquaintances and new friends. I am here to help anyone that needs help and get all I can out of this group. I am far from being perfect, and if you think I am wrong please speak UP!
 
I am about 50#'s over weight. My goal is to lose 20 in the next month. I have started a workout with a personal trainer Nick. I have seen him once and he is nice and he pushes me and that is what I need! But today, I feel he tried to kill me. LOL I will keep you all posted. There are more surprises around the corner. Stay tuned!
PS I took a before photo, when I do an after one I will post!!! Have a good day!
 

New

posted by jejosmojo on 9:31 pm

I am new to this group as well.  I am 6 ft. tall and need to lose about 20 pounds.  I have already lost a bit but just have these last pounds to get rid of.  I have had 5 children and just can't seem to get rid of these last pounds that just seem to hang around.  I look forward to hearing peoples stories and hopefully they can give me some ideas and help.  Thanks.

Newbie..

posted by Bess222 on 8:49 pm

Hey there..I'm new to group and this site....Have struggled for all of my life to be at a healthy weight..I've lost and gained more then Ophra and Kristie Alley put together!!LOL. On 4/1/09 I joined a gym (again) and have been able to get there at least 6 days per week. I think I've really only missed 4 days since starting. I'm taking it slow...walking on the treadmill for 45-60minutes at 3.0-3.5 miles per hour..and really liking it...in the past I hated to exercise due to smoking 1.5 packs per day but I gave that up 3.5 years ago...it's much easier when you can breath!  So far I've lost 15lbs and am a size smaller..don't need to buy new clothes yet..still have a closet full of skinny to fat to really fat clothes....I need to loose another 55lbs to be at a healthy weight...I'm a wife, mom to 2 wonderful teenage boys, work in social services/mental health...I'm very busy....I realized over the winter that my boys will be adults soon and I really want to be healthy and ALIVE for their remaining time at home and when they are adults with families of their own...I've not been following any particular diet....trying tp stay away from fast food, ice cream, deserts, candy, chocolate, fried foods, white bread and pasta etc...you know all the really bad (but oh so good) things.  Back slid a little today but stayed under my daily calorie limit...back on track tomorrow... Be well and happy. B.  

Without Going Into Details!

posted by jettgirl on 8:05 am

We as a group need to send Kevin a thinking about you note. Or just give him some support telling him we are here if he needs us. Just keep it short and sweet.
He is going thru a tough time!
 
WE LOVE YOU STAIR MASTER AND MISS YOU!!