Healthy and Fit

I think just keep trying to maintain a routine of exercise as best you can. The best advice I ever got from a fitness instructor was 'Something is better than nothing.' I gained loads of weight when I finally quit smoking permanently. It took me a long time to get back into a physical, emotional and lifestyle place where I was living the same quality of life I had before I left Canada and was smoking. I am healthier overall as a result because I do what I did in Canada and I am a non smoker.

The key things is to try and do things as consistently as you can. I swear to you, my lung capacity is amazing from quitting smoking and it has had a seriously positive effect on my health and stamina. No matter what the scales say, it is a healthy decision to quit smoking. And if it doesn't work or if you wobble, don't beat yourself up over it.

We're all human and imperfect and life is messy. 

I'm so proud of you for keeping your quit! I am going to do whatever it takes this time. My vanity also spurs me on as smoking is doing such a number on my complexion and giving me wrinkles and broken capillaries. I mean, I'm sure my lungs are in a right state, but I can't see those. 

It hasn't been exceptionally difficult to lose weight. I've lost a stone in about 8 weeks or so. So I will try to keep that in perspective, that if I do gain some weight when I quit, I know how to get it off, and that keeping the quit is the most important thing. 

I'm so proud of you for keeping your quit!

9 and a nearly half years quit. It is possible! 

Well I am back to this weight loss thing with guns blazing. I must, I must, I must.... 

My biggest problems are trying to find time to exercise (due to autoimmune issues, I have to do gentle exercises that don't hurt such as swimming- but I'm often working from 8am-7pm and then run off to rehearsals from 7-9pm, 3-4 times a week and the pool is never open when I'm done!) and cutting out the booze.

I suppose I should find a way. 

Jewlz I think you just a month or two ahead of me, I too need to quit smoking but am finding it hard.  The worst part about it, is that I quit for 4 years and then got very stressed with my job and started back up.  Then quit for a year and that job thing happened again and now here I am.


So I am about to do my first time doing the video two days in a row.  I haven't had too much pain a bit of tightness the first day but nothing too bad. Let see how doing it a few days in a row feels :-)

Just getting over the worst cold ever, but I did horseback ride for an hour yesterday and spent some time outside helping out-buuuuuut I totally over-ate when I got home (I made pasta with leeks and fennel and ate too fast).
Today, planning on doing my Nike Women's Training App workout--mostly the low impact yoga and pilates--don't want to stress the cold too much.
At least it's sunny outside! That means I will walk about 2 miles today to and from work. (Tend to take the bus when it's raining and ugly...)
Great job everyone, this thread really helps keep me honest!

I've increased my calories a bit, inching them up over the last week or so. I'm now getting about 1500 per day, but finding it kind of hard sometimes, since I was used to eating less. Having snacks through the day is really helping, though. It was hard to do that before since I was keeping my calories so low. I did the shred dvd last night (tried the second level and it was tough for me... I had to modify a few of the exercises - like doing pushups on knees instead of walking pushups) and I took a walk for 20 minutes afterwards. I'm not sore today. But I think I should go back down to level 1 and work more on that one for a while, as I think that was actually a better workout for me since I didn't have to modify as much. This morning I took a half hour walk on the dunes and it was lovely! I'm glad I did, since it was sunny and mild then, and now it is turning gray and cooler. I was hoping for a bike ride after work, but my auntie just paid me a visit and the cramps and crappy weather are telling me to lay low. 

Well I am back to this weight loss thing with guns blazing. I must, I must, I must.... 

My biggest problems are trying to find time to exercise (due to autoimmune issues, I have to do gentle exercises that don't hurt such as swimming- but I'm often working from 8am-7pm and then run off to rehearsals from 7-9pm, 3-4 times a week and the pool is never open when I'm done!) and cutting out the booze.

I suppose I should find a way. 

Maybe you could get some of those 10 minute solutions dvds (yoga or pilates or something low impact) so you can work in a bit of exercise at home when you can? I was thinking of getting the Pilates one as it got great reviews on Amazon. Or if you can play Region 1 dvds, I've heard the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds ones are really good for low impact (I haven't seen them in Region 2). Just don't ever get the 10 minute kickboxing solutions one... that one nearly killed me!

Or maybe you could try using a calorie counter online of some sort to lower the amount of calories you are taking in? I dropped a bit of weight quickly when I did that, and I wasn't even exercising at all. But then, I realise that takes time, which is something you don't have a lot of! It always sounds like you have a very healthy diet, though, so at least you are on the right track.  If you can find some time on the weekends or maybe for an hour each night, you could use a calorie counter (like Fit Day or Spark People or whichever one you like - Spark People is good for people who cook a lot because it has a recipe calculator so you can add up your homecooked meals and figure out the right portion size, etc.) and just plan your meals ahead of time. I usually try to plan everything out in advance so that I always know what I am having, which keeps me from just shoving any old thing in when I am in a rush. You could also portion out your snacks and meals ahead of time, so in the mornings you can just grab a bag of trail mix or a container of pasta salad on your way out the door.

I'm using Sparkpeople..and WW.  Kind of to make sure that I stay within my points, but also eat the right kinds of points, because one of the traps I fall into when I'm on the dub-dubs is that I'll eat low cal food with not enough nutritional value.  So, trying to make sure I get my protein and healthy fats in.  Which Sparkpeople told me I was lacking yesterday (not by much, but a bit!), so am going to pick up almonds or something on the way home from work to have at the ready.

I'm using Sparkpeople..and WW.  Kind of to make sure that I stay within my points, but also eat the right kinds of points, because one of the traps I fall into when I'm on the dub-dubs is that I'll eat low cal food with not enough nutritional value.  So, trying to make sure I get my protein and healthy fats in.  Which Sparkpeople told me I was lacking yesterday (not by much, but a bit!), so am going to pick up almonds or something on the way home from work to have at the ready.

It's funny, I always have the opposite problem. I always have plenty of fat (never a problem for me!  ) and the right amount of protein, but I seem to always be short on carbs. It's weird because I love bread and always thought of myself as a carb junkie, but I guess I'm really not. Today I brought a serving of pretzels with me to try to up the carbs a bit.

I joined a gym today!! (Granted, I'm in the US right now, but still!)  It cost $17 for the first month and $10 for each following month, with no contract and no cancellation fee!  Which is pretty perfect, compared to how most places make you sign for a certain period of time, then charge an arm and a leg to quit. ugh, I hate that-- especially since I'll be moving in September.

Anyway, it's great to see everyone here sharing tips and supporting one another...  So I figured I'd join in too   I started to use SparkPeople a few months ago, but things kinda went downhill when I took on a new job.  I'm looking forward to getting back into tracking my calories (it recommends 1200-1550 for me too), as well as my fitness regimen.

So yeah, my goal is to lose somewhere around 15 pounds, while building and toning up my muscles.  The first step is to just start going consistently, and bringing a buddy whenever I can

I joined a gym today!! (Granted, I'm in the US right now, but still!)  It cost $17 for the first month and $10 for each following month, with no contract and no cancellation fee!  Which is pretty perfect, compared to how most places make you sign for a certain period of time, then charge an arm and a leg to quit. ugh, I hate that-- especially since I'll be moving in September.

Anyway, it's great to see everyone here sharing tips and supporting one another...  So I figured I'd join in too   I started to use SparkPeople a few months ago, but things kinda went downhill when I took on a new job.  I'm looking forward to getting back into tracking my calories (it recommends 1200-1550 for me too), as well as my fitness regimen.

So yeah, my goal is to lose somewhere around 15 pounds, while building and toning up my muscles.  The first step is to just start going consistently, and bringing a buddy whenever I can

I must be a odd duck out cause I think I do better going to the gym on my own mainly cause I can just knuckle down an do my workout where if I had a buddy with me I'm not sure I would have the results I have now. I have the gift of gab an wouldn't be doing as much of my routine that I should be doing I would be working my jaw muscles but not the muscles I need to be working on lol!!   

I must be a odd duck out cause I think I do better going to the gym on my own mainly cause I can just knuckle down an do my workout where if I had a buddy with me I'm not sure I would have the results I have now. I have the gift of gab an wouldn't be doing as much of my routine that I should be doing I would be working my jaw muscles but not the muscles I need to be working on lol!!   

No, I am the same. It helps if Mr MLG comes with me, as he drives there and back (it's a longish and difficult walk (unlit etc.), but we do totally separate things whilst there and I am in my own zone.

Ugh... had a bad case of the "woman flu" yesterday with horrendous cramps and general blah feelings. I did no exercise of any kind and I even stayed home from work to roll around on the sofa and feel sorry for myself. But I didn't eat much since I didn't feel too well, so I didn't pig out or anything. I will try to at least take a walk on the beach after work today if I can muster the energy. Man, I hate this time of month, though its usually only this bad every few months or so, at least! 

Ugh... had a bad case of the "woman flu" yesterday with horrendous cramps and general blah feelings. I did no exercise of any kind and I even stayed home from work to roll around on the sofa and feel sorry for myself. But I didn't eat much since I didn't feel too well, so I didn't pig out or anything. I will try to at least take a walk on the beach after work today if I can muster the energy. Man, I hate this time of month, though its usually only this bad every few months or so, at least! 

Paracetamol, a glass of water and a hot bath? I hate when I feel that way as well. Hope things are better for you today! 

We have boxing classes at our little gym, which I love when I'm with a friend because we'll talk trash to motivate each other..but for other stuff, it's gotta be solo.  So I'm 50/50.  

Paracetamol, a glass of water and a hot bath? I hate when I feel that way as well. Hope things are better for you today! 

Thanks! I settled for a cup of tea and a few games of Scrabble with my MIL last night. Her sympathy helped a bit, even though she annihilated me at Scrabble.   I am feeling a bit better today. Luckily, I still have some Midol from the US, so that helps a bit.