Thinking About Losing Weight » Living Well

One Month Later – 12-Minutes At a Time

Susan — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:29:07 +0000

It’s hard to believe we have been at it for a month but the calendar doesn’t lie. With the exception of the week I was sick with the flu, Chuck and I have stuck with this workout and are now increasing the number of sets we are doing on most of the exercises so that we are up the number recommended in the book.

May not seem like much to the gym regulars, but for us couch potatoes it is a big deal.

I have found that if I set myself a rule: no breakfast until after my exercises, I am more likely to complete the workout. We have on occasion put of our workout till later in the day but more often than not, if we don’t do it before breakfast we will forget it entirely. In spite of the break in routine when I was sick, we have hung in there and I am glad.

Can’t say it is easy. Our bodies still complain and don’t like the workout. I am looking forward to the day when they start feeling better and I actually look forward to workout out. Not happening yet though.

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Day 2 – 12 Minute Total Body Workout

Susan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:45:15 +0000

Doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment but if I am going to use this blog to keep a log I need to record it as an event. Today we worked on the mat and did modified squats, sit-ups and leg lifts. I discovered I can barely lift my legs even with the weight between my feet. Stands to reason, most of my excess weight is in my butt and legs.

We only managed two sets of each even then. Chuck does better than I. He actually did all the leg lifts with the dumbbell.

p.s. If you are tempted to join us you can order the book from Amazon by clicking on the picture on this post. I do get paid a small percentage of the purchase price if you buy through this link.

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Starting 12-Minute Total Body Workout With Hubby

Susan — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:06:56 +0000

Today my husband, Chuck and I started a workout routine together. We tried this many years back and liked it when we did it, but somehow we let it slip away. Hopefully, this time we will stick to it!

We are doing Joyce L Vedral’s 12-Minute Total Body Workout. I think the philosophy behind this is “I can do anything for 12 minutes, right?” I also like the fact that all you need is a couple of 3# weights and a kitchen chair to do it.

Admittedly, I am not fond of exercise but it has come to the point where I have let myself become totally unfit and it is time to make a change. I am thrilled that my husband (who faces the same dilemma suggested we tackle this together). He is really an inspiration for me.

Wish us luck and check back to see our progress. I may even get up the nerve to post before and after pictures once I get to the after stage.

Day 1: Not too bad. Obviously these muscles haven’t been worked in years. A bit apprehensive about how we will feel tomorrow. Routine moved quickly though and was over almost before I was tempted to quit.

Water Aerobics Exercises – My Cup of Tea

Susan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:33:54 +0000

It’s no secret, I really don’t like to exercise. In fact I hate anything that may cause me to break a sweat yet there is one type of activity that falls into the category of aerobics that I do somewhat enjoy. This is water aerobics. I think it has to do with that sweating thing…

This week we are settling into our new summer home in Newport Washington and I am delighted to find that there is a first class fitness center located a few miles from home. The Camas Center, located on the Kalispel Reservation, is not only the most incredible facility I have ever seen but the most affordable. They have graduated rates for seniors… they call us elders and the older we get the lower the cost. There is no long term contract and I can freeze my membership when I am on the road. My brother and his wife are regulars and I will be too when summering in Newport! Camas Center is certainly my cup of tea when it comes to staying fit and living a healthier lifestyle.
photo credit: abbamouse

The Perfect Body – Number One Shortcut

Susan — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:25:59 +0000

By Cory Brusseau

Every exercise, fitness, and muscle magazine available today gives you new ways to get faster results, get bigger biceps, or cut your fat fast. The problem is although the ideas may be anchored in truth, most develop bad habits, and go against the one idea that is the cornerstone of building the body you dream of.

Lets take a quick look at two different workout plans: First we have the regular treadmill/ bench press/bicep curl type gym workout. This type of exercise routine is absolutely terrible for the body. It focuses on major muscle groups while almost completely neglecting the smaller, less aesthetically pleasing ones that are responsible for keeping the body upright with correct posture and movement. This type of workout consists mostly of single joint movements that work one part of the body at a time. Unfortunately, this goes against all body mechanics. The body is designed to work as a complete system, a whole.

Next we have the more ambitious gym or outdoor workout. These workouts consist of more dynamic movements and use multi-joint, multi-planar movement patterns. The are a far better alternative to traditional gym workouts because they begin to teach the body the fundamentals of working as a unit. They burn more calories than single joint exercises and tend to focus on balance and coordination as well as strength and speed.

Almost any exercise program that you undertake will provide some health and aesthetic benefits. The above are simply generic samples that most people follow. Almost every fitness routine that exists falls into one of these two categories, despite all the new research and “scientific breakthroughs” that are found every day. But they all have one fatal flaw.

The secret to developing a perfect body in record time lies in change. Let me explain; We are so caught up in using units of measurement to gauge progress that we fall into the biggest trap that exists for anyone who desires to change their body. That trap is routine. Routine, no matter what type of routine or how beneficial it is, will slow your progress. The secret lies in never allowing your body to adapt to ANY workout. The more you change your workout, the more energy your body must expend to finish. The body never gets a chance to adapt to a workout and thus never becomes efficient at it. Inefficiency during a workout will give you faster results than you could possibly imagine. (By inefficiency we do not mean poor form!)I always use the example of a beginner vs. an expert in the gym. The beginner will make very fast gains while the expert makes far slower gains regardless of the fact that they know much more about the body. This is simply because the beginner’s body must exert more energy to perform the same task as the expert. The expert’s body has become efficient at each exercise and now needs to expend less energy to finish the same task.

To receive maximum benefit from your workout in far less time, you must change your routine. Not every few months when you have made the desired muscle gains or in a few weeks when you have become bored with your routine. Pick a fitness plan that constantly teaches you new things, builds on what you have learned in the past and allows you to enjoy some variety in your exercises. Coincidentally, this will keep your motivation higher by keeping boredom at bay, giving you even faster results!

To learn more about fantastic fitness programs that provide amazingly fast results, check out http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com.

Cory Brusseau is a widely respected expert on the subject of fitness, strength, and nutrition. To learn more, please visit: http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cory_Brusseau http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Perfect-Body—Number-One-Shortcut&id=2213509

Duh!!! Now That Explains It!

Susan — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:27:59 +0000

You know that moment when the picture goes from a incomprehensible blur to crystal clear? Day 43 in Lucy-Ann’s 365 day program says it is a recap so I obviously should have read this fact before but today the words suddenly became clear and made sense. Lucy writes:

As we age, our diets need to become LESS energy-dense and MORE “nutrient-dense”.

For the last two decades I have been fighting with nature, arguing with myself and wondering why is it I seem to eat so much less than when I was younger and yet in that 20 years I have crept up over 50 pounds, in spite of trying numerous diets and exercise regimens. I’d whine about the injustice and beat myself up mentally that I was such a failure. Today when I read Lucy’s explanation a light went on. For the first two decades of my life my body was growing and thus needed fuel to support that growth. The third decade I was caring for a small child so I needed the energy to keep up with her and her friends. I was eating to fuel the life style of a child in my adult body. Suddenly, in my forth decade, my life slowed down. I settled into an office job, no longer waiting tables, running Keno or caring for the sick. I sat for at least 8 hours a day. My recreation became less active too. I now had time to read books and watch a movie all the way through in one sitting. So why is it such a mystery to me that I need less fuel to do so much less? The challenge now to is pay more attention to my body’s needs and the signals it is sending. Why did it never occur to me that maybe acid reflux or GERD, as the TV ads call it, is really my body saying I am overfilling the tank? It’s kind of like the excess gas bouncing out of the gas tank when I try to top off the tank and put just a WEE bit more than the automatic shut off suggests. Since reading and listening to Paul McKenna’s NLP program I have learned to recognize that “automatic shut off” signal when my body gives it. It was pretty quiet at first. Even now I can blow past it if I’m chatting with the family or friends when I’m eating a meal. If I let myself get distracted, I find I am no longer taking time to chew slowly and taste my food. I am again just gobbing it down and by the time I “hear” myself say “enough” I am more than full, I am stuffed and uncomfortable. Later, the indigestion is back. So once again I pick up the MP3 player and go back to Paul’s recording to remind myself of the basics and my goal to be a healthier thinner senior citizen in my last decades. I do want my “golden years’ to be a little more Blanche and a little less Dorothy, although all my adventurous enthusiasm will certainly be focused on my darlin’ husband, Chuck.

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